


paradise whenever i'm with you

by suhnshine (foreverjohnny)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Beach Holidays, Boys In Love, Drunken Kissing, Family, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Happy Ending, Holidays, Kind of Domestic, Kissing, M/M, Slow Burn, airbnb host, donghyuck is the literal actual sun, i don't know how to tag so this'll have to do, it's just lots of fun in the sun, jeno is stubborn and tired but also weak, side engaged johnyong, side married kunten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-18 12:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 41,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21560884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverjohnny/pseuds/suhnshine
Summary: It’s a quiet Thursday evening when Jaemin breaks into Jeno’s apartment.In lieu of a greeting as he throws himself down on the sofa next to Jeno, Jaemin announces: “You need a holiday.”And the more Jeno thinks about it, feeling the way there’s a gentle, fatigue-induced ache in his spine and his shoulders, the more he thinks that Jaemin is right. Maybe he does need a break.Or: Jeno goes to Jeju and meets Donghyuck, the boy who embodies the sun, and it changes everything.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Comments: 53
Kudos: 158
Collections: ’00 FIC FEST: ROUND ONE





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> prompt #0089 for 00 fic fest!
> 
> thank you to lu for being my lovely beta! you’re a star and my fic is the way it is because of your help :)
> 
> a couple of things to note:  
> —jeno and 00 line are 24 years old, all other characters are aged up accordingly  
> —i have no idea what jeju is actually like so if it’s wrong pls don’t hate me this is just what i imagined
> 
> i worked super hard on this and am super proud of it, so i hope you enjoy reading just as much!
> 
> (title is from paradise by george ezra)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaemin encourages (forces) Jeno to take a break.

It’s a quiet Thursday evening when Jaemin breaks into Jeno’s apartment.

Jeno’s slumped on his sofa, tie loosened and top two buttons of his shirt undone. A rerun of _Strong Girl Do Bong-soon_ is running on the TV, but he’s paying just as little attention to Park Hyungsik as he’s paying to the takeaway curry he’s pushing around the plate balanced on his lap. 

After a ten hour overtime shift at the call centre, he feels numb. And perhaps more prominently: tired.

So disattached in fact, that when Jaemin comes crashing down his hallway with all the subtlety of an elephant in a small space, he barely even blinks. 

In lieu of a greeting as he throws himself down on the sofa next to Jeno, Jaemin announces: “You need a holiday.”

Jeno, used to Jaemin’s blunt approach to life, simply raises an eyebrow and scoffs. “No.”

“I’m serious, Jeno.” There’s a manic, eight-shot-americano induced glint in his eye as he crosses his legs and turns to face his friend.

“So am I, Jaem.” Jeno heaves himself into a sitting position and puts his now cold curry on the coffee table in front of him. He rubs his eyes and pushes his hair off his forehead. “I’m fine.”

Jaemin does a double take in disbelief. “Have you looked in the mirror at all recently?”

Jeno shakes his head. He knows he won’t like what he’ll see, so what’s the point?

Jaemin hums. “I thought so, ‘cause when I look at you it’s like… sometimes it’s like you’re not even really there anymore.” He pauses, not looking at Jeno, who feels winded by his friend’s words. “Anyway, where’s your laptop?” Instead of waiting for an answer, Jaemin gets off the sofa and disappears into Jeno’s bedroom, coming back a second later with the laptop in hand.

“Right.” Jaemin’s fingers fly across the keyboard. As he types, he waves a hand in Jeno’s direction. “Call your manager. Go on, call him. Take next week off, I’m booking you a holiday.”

Jeno tries to wrench the laptop out of Jaemin’s hands. “I don’t need a holiday, seriously! I’m fine, I like my job.”

“You… _like_ working in a call centre all day every day?” Jaemin has the decency to look genuinely surprised. 

“Yes?” And even though it comes out like a question, Jeno truly does like his job. A call centre isn’t what he had in mind when he was graduating from university with a degree in astrophysics, but everything happened at the wrong time and this was the best life could give him. Doyoung is a good boss, and most of the customers he deals with are tolerable, so he manages.

Jaemin doesn’t buy it though. “Bullshit.” He says and goes back to typing earnestly. Jeno watches him warily for a second before reaching for his phone. He shoots his manager a quick text—after all, Doyoung has been on at him for a long time now to _take_ _a fucking day off, dammit, take a month_ —so he figures Doyoung won’t mind the late notice too much. Plus, if Jaemin thinks he needs it… Jeno opens snapchat and dares to look in the front camera. The sight almost scares him: the depth of his dark circles and the way his roots are showing in his light brown hair.

“Oh, fuck,” he breathes out. “Maybe I do need a break.”

Jaemin snorts. “Yeah. You do. What do you think of Japan?”

Jeno shuffles closer to Jaemin and rests his chin on his friend’s shoulder to read the screen. He sighs internally. As much as he’d love a dreamy getaway in the cherry blossom lined streets of Tokyo as the webpage is suggesting… “I can’t afford that, Jaem.” His words sound defeated.

Jaemin tuts. “I’ll pay, if you like.”

Ah, there it is. Forever the darkest cloud hovering over Jeno’s shoulders: the difference in the size of his and his best friend’s paycheck. Another reason added to the endless list of why he feels like he needs to work harder, for longer.

“No, no, Jaemin. Don’t. I’ll pay for it myself.” He shifts uncomfortably. Sometimes his friend is oblivious to Jeno’s financial insecurity, and isn’t the most sensitive about it.

“You sure?” Jaemin glances at him, lower lip jutting out slightly in concentration as he closes the tab and starts furiously searching again. 

“I’m sure.” 

The more he thinks about it, the more he thinks that Jaemin is right. Maybe he _does_ need a break. Even sat on the couch, Jeno can feel the way his shoulders are beginning to naturally curve inwards and the gentle ache of his spine. A desk job was not the life Jeno envisioned, but it’s the one he ended up with. And it’s fine, really—the only problem is that he just doesn’t allow himself regular time to stretch his body out and relax.

“Okay, I’ve got it. How about Jeju? Beautiful place, and cheap as hell if you know where to go.” Now _this_ sounds promising. Jaemin turns the screen towards Jeno, an excited smile on his face. And as Jeno clicks through the pictures on the Airbnb page, he thinks it might be the one.

A small cottage on the coastline of Jeju. Beautifully peaceful, surrounded by forest and mountains—exactly the oasis Jeno thinks could cure his bone deep fatigue.

“Lee Donghyuck.” Jeno reads the Airbnb host’s profile aloud. “Unusual name.”

“He’s an old friend of mine. We went to summer camp together.” Jaemin says airily. “You’ll like him.”

Jeno thinks for a while, does a mental check of his bank account, and decides to just fuck it. “Book it.”

Jaemin grins triumphantly, moving the mouse to hover over the book button. “Sure?”

Nodding, Jeno says: “Yes.”

“Really sure?” Jaemin wiggles his eyebrows, grin still wide and teasing.

“Yes, I’m sure!”

“Reeeeeeeally sure?”

“Yes, Jaemin!”

“Really really reeeeeeally-”

Jeno grabs the laptop and clicks the button himself. Shoving Jaemin’s giggling form off of where he’s collapsed against him, he groans. “I’m fucking sure, Jaemin, don’t make me think twice about this. I know I’ll regret it if I do.”

Jaemin’s smile turns smug as Jeno dutifully fills in his details to book the spare room of the beautiful Jeju cottage for next week. After Jeno’s entered his credit card details, he sits back and stares at the booking confirmation screen, already feeling the hole he’s just dug in his bank account.

“I don’t think so, Jeno. You won’t regret it at all.”

☼

That’s how Jeno ends up jogging through the airport at midday two days later, takeaway coffee cup in hand. He’d arrived hours prior, checked in online and gone through security well before his gate opened, only to fall asleep just outside the duty free. He’d been roughly awoken by someone shaking him and muttering: “Sir, Sir, your flight is about to leave.”

Still half asleep and disoriented, Jeno thanks the person, grabs his rucksack and races across the departure lounge. He weaves through the crowds and towards the gate, where an impatient looking attendant is rolling her eyes at him as he hands her his ticket breathlessly. As she scans the barcode, Jeno tips the last mouthful of the coffee into his mouth and chucks the cup in the bin beside the desk.

He huffs out a thank you when the attendant hands his ticket back and walks down the corridor at a more leisurely pace. This part of getting a plane has always unnerved him just a little—the square corridor of doom, suspended in the air as it allows him to make the journey from airport to aeroplane untouched by the elements.

Jeno greets the flight attendants politely, bowing twice as they show him to his seat. He takes his iPad and headphones from his bag before tucking it into the overhead compartment and slotting himself into his seat. It’s an aisle seat, luckily, and next to him is a young looking couple who seem quiet enough for Jeno to have an uninterrupted flight.

They exchange stilted introductions; Jeno learns that the couple—Ten and Kun—are going to Jeju for their honeymoon. He eyes the pretty silver bands on their ring fingers, the way their fingers are loosely linked, their smiles that are dripping with love.

He tells them they make a beautiful couple, and that he hopes they have a wonderful time on their honeymoon.

The blond, Kun, smiles. “Well, they do say Jeju is the place to go for a romantic getaway.” He says dreamily, turning to gaze at his husband.

Jeno’s lips quirk up in a hint of a smile, but it falters soon enough and he has to look away. By then, the plane is crawling onto the runway, and Jeno slips his headphones on over his ears. 

_Romantic getaway,_ Jeno scoffs internally. _I should be so lucky._

☼

A couple of hours later, Jeno steps off the plane with both hands on his rucksack straps and the feeling of the Jeju sun on his cheeks. It’s June, which means with the mid afternoon sun high in the sky it’s already pretty warm, but the humidity isn’t unbearable. As he rushes past the slow moving crowd, he makes a mental note to buy some sun cream. That’s the first thing he remembers he’s forgotten.

With practised precision, he grabs his suitcase from the conveyor belt and strides out of the quiet airport. Jeno checks his watch, winces at the time, and hurries as fast as his suitcase will let him to the coach station across the road. 

A bus will take him from the airport to the town he’ll be staying in. The driver informs him it should be a relatively short journey as he chucks Jeno’s suitcase into the hold, which Jeno finds he’s grateful for. He’ll be at the Airbnb by dinner time, he calculates, and slips into a window seat. He watches in surprise as the couple from the flight also get on and sit a few rows in front of him. Ten spots him, nudges his husband, and they both wave. Jeno smiles in return. _What a small world_.

As the bus pulls out of the station and onto a busy road, he shoots Jaemin a text to let him know how his journey’s going. He tells him about the couple on the plane, to which Jaemin simply replies with a winky face and Jeno switches his phone off with a laugh.

Romance in Jeju? Sounds unlikely. The loose schedule he’s mentally outlined is filled with sitting on the beach, sleeping on the beach, and maybe even some paddling in the shallows. Not to be cliché, but Jeno thinks he might take the time to really find himself again. _Outside_ of work. Reconnect with himself, all that bullshit.

There’s certainly no romance on the cards, Jeno decides. But he thinks maybe a kiss might be nice—he runs his fingers over his lips mindlessly as the idea crosses his mind—just one or two, preferably drunk, because he hasn’t been kissed in a while.

Yeah. A kiss would be enough.

Satisfied with the thought, Jeno leans his head against the window and turns his music up slightly. Thoughts of work are starting to filter through and his fingers are itching to just open his emails and get buried in them. The music helps drown out the increasing need to work, work, work. 

Just a little while longer, he tells himself, just a little bit longer until he gets to paradise.

☼

Paradise welcomes him with a cool sea breeze and the close warmth of the setting sun. Jeno asks the bus driver to point him in the direction of his Airbnb, and with the confidence of a local he’s told to follow the main road all the way to the edge of the town, then take a right. Apparently it’s quite out of the way, the driver says, but a half an hour walk at most.

Jeno thanks him, pushes his glasses up his nose and begins to walk in the direction of the house, suitcase in tow.

It’s a pleasant walk. As he wanders through the unchartered territory, he admires the way the buildings don’t extend into the clouds in the same way as the ones in Seoul. It’s a little unnerving, being able to see the roofs of so many places at once, but Jeno finds he quite likes it. He walks past shops, many of which seem to be small family run businesses, and the wind carries a greeting in the form of the smell of the restaurants situated along the high street.

Jeno breathes in deeply, and his stomach growls. By now, the density of the buildings is starting to fade away into a more residential area, but he stops by a small convenience store and buys himself a smoothie to tide him over till he arrives at his destination.

From where he’s stood outside the store, Jeno can see where the town ends and the forest begins not too far ahead of him. After downing the smoothie, he powers on. The sound of his suitcase trundling behind him echoes throughout the quiet neighbourhood, but Jeno tunes it out, choosing instead to look at the scenery in awe. The sky is still a bright blue thanks to the long summer days, but it feels like dusk in the way that the warmth closes in on Jeno’s skin, in the way he’s alone on the pavement, in the way gentle birdsong emanates from the trees he walks past. Warm air swirls around him, ruffling his hair and smelling strongly of salt water and ramen. 

Jeno loves it.

The turning to the right is just where the driver said it would be. Jeno wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and makes the move from concrete path to dust and dirt. The track beneath his feet is springy despite it’s dryness.

The trees above his head intertwine, sheltering his bare arms from the sun, and Jeno enjoys the way the shadows dapple over his skin. The track curves round to the left before a house peeks out over the top of a hedge. As he unlatches the gate that’s wise enough to fit a car through, Jeno’s jaw drops.

The _view._

This is a whole world away from the sprawling metropolis of Seoul. There’s a car parked just beyond the gate, tucked to the side in a little layby. Then, through a gap in the hedge, dirt turns to beautiful grey patio which is bordered to the right by a white fence. And then, after that, there’s nothing.

The ground suddenly just falls away. Jeno leaves his suitcase by the garden table and peers cautiously over the fence, gasping when metres below him he spies the glittering blue of the sea. The town seems to sit on the edge of a huge cove, with a beach running round most of it. There’s still a few people lounging on the sand, although they look like black specks from up here, and swimmers lazily bob around in the calm waters.

The cliffs up either side are rampant with green; out of the cracks in the rocks, life springs in the form of tumbling plants and flowers. To the left, the cliffs are crowned by the forest, and to the right, back past the trees he came through, Jeno can see where the town takes up the rest.

There is just so much vibrant colour.

Jeno leans on the fence, inhaling the clean air. His eyes flutter shut against the reflection of the sun on the water as he lets himself relax a little. The wind is stronger here, but still not intrusive as it battles with the heat. 

He sighs, revelling in the peace and quiet. It’s so new to him, a whole world away from the city, and already Jeno doesn’t quite know how he’ll leave. 

He’s so caught up in his own awe that he doesn’t hear someone approaching until they tap him on the shoulder and make him jump out of his own skin.

As he yelps, the other person chuckles. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you jump.”

Jeno grins back automatically, feeling the sudden tension in his shoulders melt away at the sound of this man’s voice. Unconsciously, he gives him a once over. The man stood in front of him, hands clasped together, is the personification of the environment around him. His skin, littered with moles and specks of sand, is a rich caramel tone, a smooth natural tan that leaves Jeno feeling paler than a sheet of paper. He has hair to match, a beautiful golden colour as it falls over his ears in curls. His eyes sparkle as he smiles up at Jeno, and his nose scrunches slightly as he smiles.

Jeno is so enraptured by the man that embodies the Jeju sun that he barely even registers that he’s being spoken to until a hand waves in front of his face.

”Hey, are you listening to me?”

Jeno blinks and brings himself out of his thoughts. “Sorry, what?”

“I said,” the man emphasises. “You must be Lee Jeno? I’m Lee Donghyuck.” He sticks his hand out for Jeno to shake.

 _Oh, shit,_ Jeno realises. _This is the Airbnb host._

“I’m your Airbnb host for the week.” Donghyuck says as they shake hands. It’s as if he can read Jeno’s thoughts. “Do you want to come in?”

Jeno nods and follows Donghyuck towards the door, grabbing his suitcase as they pass the table. The house is sat on a lower level than the patio, and a small stone set of steps takes them down from the patio level to the door. It looks very cute, tucked against the hedgerow that almost completely surrounds it. The tiled roof hangs low, practically touching the tops of the second-floor windows, and ivy weaves its way all over the brickwork. The door is wooden, painted a pale blue colour. There’s a small crystalised window in it.

Donghyuck absentmindedly wipes his bare feet on the doormat as he enters the house. Jeno follows suit, toeing off his sneakers, and hitches his suitcase up and over the threshold before following his host down the corridor and into the living room.

Despite the fact that the house is tucked snugly into the countryside, the room is surprisingly bright and airy. Huge bay windows on the far wall let light flood into the space. Much like the outside of the house, the decor is quaint and homely. There’s a distinct softness to the light blue and white colour scheme in here, with a natural wood colour for all the furniture. There’s a huge bookshelf in one corner, reminiscent of the one in Jeno’s own apartment. As Donghyuck bustles about, doing a last minute spot of tidying, Jeno wanders over and fingers the spines of the books. They’re worn, clearly well-loved, and he’s surprised to find that he recognises most of the titles.

“You’re a nerd too, then?” Donghyuck asks, but there’s a teasing lilt in his voice. He’s watching Jeno, head cocked to the side and eyebrows raised slightly.

Jeno laughs. “Used to be, yeah. Don’t really have the time for it anymore.”

“Ah.” Donghyuck nods in understanding. “Shame. Well, feel free to read anything you like off the shelf while you’re here, alright? This is your house too, for the next week.” He frowns. “It is a week you’re staying, right?”

Jeno nods. “Yeah. Thanks, by the way.”

“It’s nothing.” Donghyuck shrugs. “I always like to make my guests feel as welcome as possible! Come on, let me give you the grand tour.”

Jeno leaves his suitcase stood by the wall and follows Donghyuck. The host leads him back down the hall towards the front door, but pushes open a door on the right that Jeno didn’t notice before. It reveals a spotless kitchen, spacious enough to fit a breakfast bar and dining table but small enough to feel cosy.

“The kitchen.” Donghyuck announces. Jeno runs his fingers along the shiny counters lightly. “Oh! Meet Sun.”

Jeno hears a gentle click and suddenly Donghyuck is in front of him, a small bird balanced on his fingers. He gasps in surprise and reaches out tentatively as if to stroke it. “Can I?”

Donghyuck nods. “He’s a budgie. Only a few months old. He’s pretty, right?”

“He’s lovely.” Jeno agrees. The feathers beneath the pads of his fingers are the softest things Jeno thinks he’s ever touched. They’re blue and yellow, the same colours as the sand and the sea.

“Lovely!” The budgie shrieks suddenly. “Lovely! You’re lovely!”

Both boys burst into a fit of giggles and Donghyuck tucks Sun back into his cage.

“I guess I compliment him too much.” Donghyuck admits sheepishly, watching Sun as he hops around the floor of the cage.

Jeno cocks his head to the side. “He is lovely, though.”

Donghyuck hums and beckons to Jeno to follow as he leaves the kitchen behind and walks back through the living room to the stairs in the corner. On the second floor, there’s a modern style bathroom; Donghyuck rubs his neck awkwardly as he admits they’ll have to share the shower, as the ensuite in the guest bedroom only has a sink and a toilet. Jeno’s cheeks flush at the idea, but waves the host’s worry off.

“My room is just here if you need me during the night.” Donghyuck points to a closed door with a little sunflower motif painted on the panels. “And this…” he turns the handle of the door the furthest along the landing. “Will be your room for the week.”

“Oh, wow.” Jeno breathes as he moves past Donghyuck to investigate. There’s a queen size bed in the middle of the room with white sheets neatly pulled over it. Either side is a small cabinet with a lamp on it; on the left hand side of the room is the entrance to the ensuite, Jeno assumes, and on the wall directly opposite that door is the window. It’s huge, like the windows downstairs, but his jaw drops when he pushes aside the lace curtain and takes in the view.

The room is on the front of the house and looks out over the cove. From here he can see the blue of the sea and the warm orange of the now setting sun. He stares for a moment, taking it in, before turning back to Donghyuck.

The man is stood behind him, just within range of the golden hour glow that streams in through the thin curtain. Jeno finds himself staring at Donghyuck instead now, curious as to how one person can shine like _that_.

“Alright?” Donghyuck asks with a grin, breaking Jeno out of his reverie. “Bet there isn’t a view like that in the city, right? No wonder you’re speechless.”

Jeno nods mutely, glad that his unabashed staring went unnoticed. Donghyuck isn’t wrong though: as Jeno turns to look back out the window, admiring the fiery sky, he knows this is the first time in a long time he’s seen something so beautiful.

“Will the room be alright for you?” Donghyuck asks, smoothing down a stray crease in the duvet.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Yes, it’s perfect.” Jeno says. Reluctantly, he steps away from the window.

“Awesome. I’ll bring your stuff up, yeah? Did you have any plans for this evening?” Donghyuck talks as he walks out of the room, pausing in the doorway to wait for Jeno’s response. 

Before Jeno can even open his mouth to reply, his stomach does it for him. Clearly the smoothie from earlier has worn off—he suddenly realises he’s ravenous.

“Not really, just… just dinner, I guess.” Jeno mutters.

“Great.” Donghyuck grins. “Do you like bibimbap?”

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so begins the greatest adventure of Jeno's life


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck and Jeno get to know each other better, and Donghyuck has a suggestion.

As it turns out, Donghyuck is a brilliant cook. It comes with the job, apparently, as he recalls countless times he’s cooked for those who stay at his Airbnb. Although, Jeno learns the guest room is frequented less often than he would have thought; it’s not Donghyuck’s main source of income. Primarily he’s a writer, and he teaches surfing classes with the guy who runs the surf rental—Jaehyun, was it?— and sings at the bar most evenings. His parents own the house anyway. 

Jeno listens to Donghyuck’s tales and feels a twist of awe and jealousy in his stomach. His own city lifestyle, with his studio apartment and grey high rise buildings and nine till six desk job, seems like hell on earth in comparison to Donghyuck’s breezy existence.

According to him, the Airbnb is just a bit of extra cash. Plus—and Donghyuck looks a little shy as he admits this, voice quietning just a bit—it does get lonely out here, sometimes. He enjoys the company, no matter how infrequent it is.

Jeno smiles, thinking about the hollowness of his own apartment. He knows the feeling well. “I hope I can be good company for you this week.” He murmurs.

Donghyuck grins, scooping up the last of the rice from his bowl. “Oh, I don’t doubt it for a second. You’re already way better than the majority, to be honest.”

“Really?” Jeno’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead.

Donghyuck hums and leans back in his seat. “Yeah. I don’t get a lot of people staying here because it’s so out of the way and people want a more central place to stay, like the hotel in town. Most of the people who stay here are obnoxious tourists or old people. Either way, they’re all way too highly strung or ask too many questions. Plus, none of them are pretty.” He tilts his head to the side as he says the last part, eyebrow quirking. Jeno doesn’t know whether he should read too much into the comment and the hint of a smirk playing on Donghyuck’s lips, but it definitely sounded like it was directed at him. He swallows.

“Yeah, that sounds… difficult.” Jeno cringes on the inside. “I can’t promise you I’ll be any different, though. I’m _very_ highly strung.” He adds, still feeling the urge to start up his laptop and process some customer data. Just the thought of his colour coded spreadsheets has his fingers tapping anxiously at his thigh under the table.

Donghyuck snorts. “You don’t seem it, though.”

“Oh, believe me, I am.” Jeno rests his elbows on the table, linking his fingers together. “My friend practically had to hold a gun to my head to get me to take some time off work and come here. I’m a serious workaholic.” He confesses, laughing to himself.

“What do you do?” Donghyuck asks as he sips at his soda. To Jeno’s surprise, he sounds genuinely interested.

“I work at a call centre.” Jeno can feel the tips of his ears going red as he stares at the table in front of him. He might like his job, but that will never make up for the shame he feels when he talks about what he does. “Nine hour days, paid a pittance. You know. That kind of job.”

Donghyuck nods and makes a noise of understanding.

“It’s not… it’s not what I wanted to do when I was in university,” Jeno continues. “I did a degree in astrophysics, and wanted to go into the aerospace field. I never gave up on my dream of being an astronaut from when I was like, six years old, I guess.” Jeno laughs, but it’s full of regret. “But when I graduated, nothing went right for me. The job I had lined up fell through, and there was no other openings quick enough. I was about to be evicted if I didn’t pay my rent, so I took this desk job. That was a couple years ago, though, and I’m still there.” Jeno shrugs.

Across from him, Donghyuck’s eyes are sad. He sends Jeno a smile of sympathy and reaches across the table to pat Jeno’s hand comfortingly. “It’s not too late, though, right? You could still get into your field.”

“I guess.” Jeno’s voice trails off. “Seems pointless now though.”

“Don’t say that!” Donghyuck protests. “It’s never too late to chase your dreams.”

“Isn’t it? ‘Cause my best friend is already exactly where he wanted to be, and I just feel like if I was destined to do what I set out to do I’d be there by now.”

“Of course not.” Donghyuck assures him. “You think I grew up wanting to be an Airbnb host? I wanted to go to Seoul and be an idol. I’m too old now, obviously, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have other dreams now. You’ve just got to change your perspective.” 

“Huh.” Jeno leans back and considers Donghyuck’s words. The other boy sits across from him, watching him as he does so. Maybe Donghyuck’s right, but even just thinking about what it’s going to take to get back into that field is making Jeno feel tired. He doesn’t know if he has the capacity to even do some internet research. And besides, what’s the point if he doesn’t know his efforts won’t be fruitful? The job he has now is stable and it works for him; he no longer sees the point in changing when the norm is enough.

“Enough of this! This is too heavy a topic for a holiday.” Donghyuck interrupts Jeno’s thought spiral and slaps his hands on the table. “Your friend was right. You do need a break. What’s his name, so I can send him a note of my gratitude for getting you away from your desk?”

Jeno snorts. “His name is Na Jaemin, but he responds best to pain in my fucking ass.” He says drily.

Donghyuck giggles. It’s a lovely sound. “Wait, Na Jaemin? I used to know a Na Jaemin. Wouldn’t it be crazy if they were the same person?”

“It is, actually.” Jeno says, remembering what Jaemin had said when they were viewing the Airbnb page. “He told me. You went to camp together, right?”

Donghyuck’s lips part in awe. Jeno catches the way his eyes sparkle as he reminisces about the summers spent in Jaemin’s camp. “Wow. What a small world.”

Jeno makes a noise of affirmation and takes a swig of his drink.

“Maybe when you go back you could give him my number. I’d quite like to get back in touch,” Donghyuck muses. “I miss pulling pranks with him.”

“He’d love that.” Jeno agrees, thinking of Jaemin’s cheeky personality, egged on by the intern he has trailing him at work these days. Jeno’s lost count of the amount of times Jaemin’s called and told him about his and Jisung’s latest prank in excruciating detail. “But I don’t have your number?”

It’s a question with innocent intentions—honestly, Jeno was only thinking of rekindling Jaemin and Donghyuck’s friendship when he asked it—but Donghyuck wiggles his eyebrows at him suggestively. “Oho, asking for my number already? Lee Jeno, you’re a very direct man, I like it.” He holds out his hand, silently asking for Jeno’s phone.

Reluctantly, Jeno hands it over, cheeks burning as Donghyuck saves his number diligently. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He mumbles.

“Sure, sure.” Donghyuck words are full of mirth as he hands the phone back. “Whatever you say. It’s probably a good idea to have my number anyway, for hosting purposes. And besides, like I said, you’re pretty, so I don’t mind.”

Jeno splutters, feeling his blush spread from his cheeks to his neck. And Donghyuck had the audacity to suggest that _Jeno_ was direct? Unbelievable.

Saving Jeno from his inner turmoil, Donghyuck gets up from his chair and asks if he wants some ice cream for dessert.

☼

Later, when Jeno looks at his phone, he sees that Donghyuck saved his number under _cutest airbnb host hyuck <3._ With a sigh, and a hard to ignore heart flutter, he switches it off and goes to sleep.

☼

Jeno wakes the next morning to the sound of the birds singing outside and Donghyuck moving about downstairs. He rolls over in bed, burying his face in the pillow, before reaching over to pick his phone up off the nightstand. There’s a text from Jaemin, a missed call from his mum, and a text from Donghyuck.

Confused, Jeno opens the latter first.

**cutest airbnb host hyuck <3, 7:13am: __**_hi jeno im just going to the shop to get stuff for breakfast!! i hope u like pancakes lol_

Jeno grins at the text and glances at the time. It’s been just over an hour since Donghyuck sent that text, and if he’s making breakfast for the both of them it would be rude to stall any longer. Sighing, Jeno sits up in bed, pouting unconsciously as the warmth of his duvet cocoon leaves his bare skin.

He sluggishly makes his way over to the suitcase in the corner of the room. The weather app informs him it’s going to be a pleasantly warm day, ruined only by the humidity that’ll crash down on them around noon. With that in mind, Jeno picks out a plain white t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and some pink basketball shorts. He decides he can always change if he spontaneously decides to do something that requires more suitable attire.

After all, that’s what this holiday is about. Spontaneity. No plans at all.

For a moment, he considers bringing his laptop downstairs with him. Jeno’s eyes linger on where it sits nestled in his suitcase; he itches to open it up, to return to regularity, but he forces himself away. The thought of emails piling up in his inbox makes him feel nauseous and so he closes the case, walking away from it. he doesn’t want to cave on the first day.

Instead he nips into the little ensuite bathroom and does his hair before going downstairs; he applies a little gel and sweeps his hair off his face. As usual, his hair refuses to cooperate, deciding it still wants to flop down into his eyes, and eventually Jeno gives up and submits to the messy look. Wincing at the way his roots are beginning to show even more now, he splashes some water on his face and makes his way down the stairs to find Donghyuck.

Upon entering the kitchen, he’s met with the sound of butter sizzling gently in a frying pan. Donghyuck is stood by the stove, munching on some blueberries from the punnet on the counter next to him. He’s wearing an outfit not unlike Jeno’s own, save for denim shorts in place of Jeno’s pink ones.

“Morning.” Jeno greets him cheerily, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. No matter how well he slept, he doesn’t think he’ll kick the months old build up of fatigue in one night—the bags under his eyes certainly agree.

Donghyuck hums in acknowledgement and swallows his mouthful. “Hey, Jeno. Sleep okay?”

Jeno nods. “Yeah. I got your text, so I thought I should probably get up.”

Donghyuck pours a ladle’s worth of batter into the frying pan and picks the pan up, tipping it in a circular motion to spread the batter out in a thin circle shape. As he does so, some of the hot butter spits off the pan and lands on his shirt. Donghyuck curses, almost dropping the pan onto the stove again, and reaches for an apron.

“You okay?” Jeno asks, worriedly watching Donghyuck struggle from where he’s stood by Sun’s cage, petting the small bird on the head.

“Yeah, yeah, it just shocked me.” Donghyuck waves him off. “Can you help me with this?” He holds the apron up before hooking it over his head.

“Sure.” Jeno murmurs, walking round the breakfast bar to help tie the apron. He does it carefully, not wanting to tie it too tight and hurt the other man. 

Donghyuck scoffs as Jeno steps away. “Do it tighter, come on!” He whines, fingers fumbling clumsily with the knot to undo it.

Jeno tuts and bats Donghyuck’s fingers away from the knot to untie it himself. “Alright, alright.” He knots the apron straps again, this time making sure to pull the cords flush against Donghyuck’s back. As he ties them in a bow, Jeno becomes acutely aware of how close they are; he can smell the fruity scent of the other man’s shampoo and can feel the warmth emanating from his body. 

“There.” He mumbles, stepping away from Donghyuck quickly, flustered.

“Thanks.” Donghyuck chirps as he picks up his spatula. “Sit down. I made you some tea, by the way.” He waves the tool in the direction of a teapot sat on the breakfast bar next to an empty mug. Jeno pours himself a cup and raises it to his nose to take a sniff.

“It’s fruit tea.” Donghyuck says. “My favourite.”

“You like fruity things, then?” Jeno asks as he slots himself onto one of the bar stools and sips at the tea. He sighs as the fruity taste spreads over his tongue; it’s mainly berry based, he decides, with the flavour of cherry slightly overpowering the rest.

“Hmmm?”

“Oh, I mean just because of your shampoo. It’s fruity. And the blueberries in the pancakes…” Jeno stops talking as he clocks the look on Donghyuck’s face. He’s done it again—said something with an unintentional ulterior motive.

“Been sniffing me, have we, Jeno?” Donghyuck smirks.

“No!” Jeno yelps defensively. “It was just when I tied your apron, I could smell it…” He rushes to explain himself, all while Donghyuck just laughs at him.

“It’s fine.” He snickers as he plates up the first pancake for Jeno to eat. “You know, I’ve never felt this comfortable around one of my guests before.” He muses aloud. Jeno takes the plate from him and licks his lips. “You want syrup with that?”

“Nah, I’m alright thank you.” Jeno shakes his head. “Maybe it’s because we’re the same age?”

Donghyuck pours more batter into the pan. “That must be it. I don’t have many same age friends. Most of them are at least twenty-five, a year older.”

Jeno hums through a bite of pancake. It’s heavenly, especially mixed with the lingering taste of the fruit tea. “And you seem like the type to make friends easily anyway.”

“What can I say?” Donghyuck shrugs. “Everybody loves me.”

Jeno just snorts and continues to devour the pancake. The next one is finished quickly and Donghyuck stands opposite Jeno to eat it. From one of the cupboards he grabs a half full bottle of syrup and lathers his pancake in it, eyes sparkling in excitement once he’s satisfied with the veritable lake of liquid sugar he’s applied. Jeno wrinkles his nose in disgust as he watches Donghyuck shovel the sopping pancake into his mouth, his own mouthful paused halfway to his mouth in shock.

“So.” Donghyuck starts as he swallows, oblivious to Jeno’s disapproval of his pancake eating habits. “What are your plans for the day? And the week.”

Jeno finishes up his own pancake and pushes his plate away from him. Donghyuck’s already back at the stove, whipping up another. “I don’t really know. I hadn’t thought about it. Honestly I don’t even know what’s around here to see.”

Donghyuck gasps. “Wait here.” He instructs, and Jeno just sips at the tea as he dashes out of the room. He returns moments later with a thick binder in his arms.

“This.” He says as he slams it on the counter. “Is what I like to call ‘Lee Donghyuck’s Jeju Survival Guide’. It’s got absolutely everything you could ever need to know in it.”

Jeno’s eyes widen as Donghyuck opens the binder. It’s very obviously self made, but the level of detail is admirable. “There’s a bit about me and the house, and my emergency contacts—my brother, his fiancé. That’s important for you to know, actually. If anything happens to me or I don’t pick up, this is who to call, okay?” Donghyuck glances at Jeno, who nods to show he understands. 

“Then, there’s a bit about the town. Shops, must try restaurants—this is my personal Yelp, if you will—and then things to do. About the cove, the beach. I included a few walks in the forest as well, if you’re interested.” Donghyuck flips through the pages as he speaks, pointing at various things on each page. Jeno skims each bit, knowing that there’s way too much information for him to absorb. He’s beginning to get the general idea that Donghyuck lives religiously by the ‘go big or go home’ mantra.

“And I also included popular places to go outside of town. Lots of people quickly get bored here, so I had to add that section. And there’s ways to get there, buses etc. Oh, and then, wait—” Donghyuck bites his bottom lip as he wrestles with a laminated insert that won’t come out of its plastic wallet. After a second of tussling, he manages to yank it out, and presents it proudly to Jeno, who takes it from him.

“This is an itinerary suggestion. You know, like a ‘what you could do every day’ kind of thing. Different types of holiday, depending on what people want to get out of their time here.”

Jeno frowns as he reads it, feeling a sense of unease wash over him as he does so. The workaholic in him is vibrating in excitement—a timetable to stick to, _brilliant!_ But Jeno promised Jaemin that this would be a getaway without restraints, so reluctantly he slides the itinerary back over the counter to Donghyuck and shakes his head. “Sorry, Donghyuck, Jaemin made me promise. No timetables this week. I have to be spontaneous and carefree, or something like that.” He rolls his eyes.

“I see.” Donghyuck tucks it back into the folder and shuts the binder with a heave. They fall into silence for a while as Donghyuck goes back to flipping the pancake. Jeno can tell he’s mulling something over, and as the pancake is slid onto his plate, Donghyuck voices his thoughts.

“What about if I was like, your personal tour guide for the week? I could plan some stuff every morning and just not tell you where we’re going! So you could relax, but also see the best bits around here? How does that sound?”

Jeno feels initially apprehensive at the idea. “That wouldn’t inconvenience you at all? Don’t you have better things to do than hang out with someone you only just met?” He scratches the back of his head awkwardly. As much as he would like Donghyuck to accompany him everywhere, he doesn’t want to impose or inconvenience the other man. It seems a bit much for someone he’s only tangentially acquainted with.

Donghyuck waves him off and pops another blueberry in his mouth. “Don’t worry about it. I currently have the worst writer’s block, so my book was never going to progress much this week. And the surfing class I usually teach got cancelled this week ‘cause the kids are all on holiday. It’d be no bother, and… I think it would be nice to get to know you. Get more same-age friends, you know?” He says the last part almost shyly, and Jeno blinks, taken aback.

“Oh.” Is all that leaves his mouth in response. “Okay, then. I’d like that too.”

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oho ;)


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeno meets Donghyuck's brother and gets his surf on.

So, a while later, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, Jeno finds himself balanced precariously on the back of Donghyuck’s bike as they pedal into town. Well, it’s Donghyuck’s brother’s bike actually—his own is in the shop right now, getting serviced—so Jeno has been assured they won’t have to share the bike all week. For some reason, he felt a bit deflated as Donghyuck told him that, though, and continues to feel that way as he rides with his arms wrapped securely around Donghyuck’s waist. He puts the feeling to the back of his mind quickly though, not wanting to entertain it.

Donghyuck locks the bike up somewhere near the steps down to the beach. From there, they wander around the town for a bit, letting Jeno explore all the shops he walked past yesterday on his way to the Airbnb. 

They duck in and out of each one quickly, avoiding the heat of the sun beating down on the streets. But after a good couple of hours of Donghyuck restraining Jeno from spending his entire holiday budget on trinkets and souvenirs on the very first day—Jeno had made him promise to do this before they went out, knowing that no matter what mood he’s in he always gets excited by shops like this—they decide to grab some food.

Donghyuck leads him down an alleyway between a convenience store and an art gallery. “This is one of my favourite places to eat.” Donghyuck tells him as they wander down the side street. Soon enough, they happen upon a hole in the wall style restaurant. There’s a metal ledge to use as a table protruding from the bricks just beneath the hatch-like hole in the side of the building, already set with trays of cutlery. A jug of water and some cups sit just inside the window. The wall around the window is painted green, like a frame, and there’s a retractable roof extended out above their heads. It’s also a pretty shade of lime green, and from it is hung various strings of fairy lights. In the sunlight, Jeno can’t tell if they’re lit or not. 

Jeno sits on one of the stools strewn haphazardly across the narrow street and his nose twitches in interest at the smell wafting from inside. It reminds him of the smell of the street markets in Seoul, and a feeling of familiarity settles on his shoulders.

The owner of the restaurant spots them and makes his way over, greeting Donghyuck like an old friend. Jeno realises quickly that Donghyuck is well known and loved throughout the town, seemingly friends with a lot of the people who run the local businesses. He supposes that figures when he remembers the binder from that morning.

“And this is Jeno. He’s staying with me this week.” 

Jeno rejoins the conversation when Donghyuck gestures to and introduces him. 

“Nice to meet you, Jeno! Donghyuck is a wonderful host. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely stay here.” The owner says cheerfully, and Jeno nods, turning to look at Donghyuck. The Airbnb host’s cheeks are shiny and rosy with the heat and happiness, his smile only accentuating it. Jeno finds himself smiling back.

“Yes, I’m already feeling very relaxed.” He replies.

The owner nods and turns back towards the kitchen. “Two of the usual, I suppose?” He calls, and Donghyuck shouts back an affirmation.

Not long after, the owner returns with two steaming bowls of tteokbokki. Jeno’s stomach rumbles in anticipation. He grabs a pair of chopsticks from the tray in front of him and stirs the food round for a bit, basking in the smell wafting from the bowl.

“Dig in.” Donghyuck tells him through a mouthful of food. His cheeks bulge out like a hamster as he picks up more rice cake and stuffs it in. “You’re gonna need your energy for this afternoon.” 

Jeno heeds his warning and after the first mouthful, he can’t hold back. He devours the food, not being able to tell whether he’s ravenous or if the food is simply _that_ delicious.

“Holy shit.” He exhales, throwing his cutlery into the bowl and rubbing his hands over his stuffed belly once he’s finished. “That was incredible.”

“Right?” Donghyuck agrees, grabbing a spoon to scrape the remains of the sauce from his bowl. “Best tteokbokki in South Korea, I’m telling you.”

“Can’t argue with that.” Jeno huffs, feeling winded because of how full he is. He reaches for the water jug and pours himself a glass to sip at while Donghyuck pays the bill. In an offer to split he shoves some notes towards Donghyuck, but either the Airbnb host doesn’t notice or chooses to ignore the gesture.

They thank the restaurant owner and head back out onto the street. Jeno feels thoroughly weighed down by his stomach, but he realises he hasn’t felt this full and sated in months. Blissful, he follows Donghyuck back in the direction of the bike, only to be surprised as they walk straight past it and towards the steps leading down the side of the cliff.

“We’re going to the beach?” Jeno asks dumbly.

“No, we’re going ice skating,” Donghyuck retorts. “Yeah, we’re going to the beach. Thought I could take you surfing, or swimming, or we could just chill. Whatever you feel like.”

Jeno likes the sound of that.

And, as they step off the small boardwalk at the bottom of the cliff and onto the warm sand, Jeno realises he _really_ likes the sound of that. He slips his sandals off, holding them in one hand, and wiggles his toes. The soft grains of sand run over his skin and Jeno closes his eyes, letting himself get lost in that feeling and the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore, the cool wind whistling past his ears. 

They weren’t lying when they said it’s paradise here. 

Jeno opens his eyes to find Donghyuck watching him, a strange look on his face. As soon as the other man notices him staring back though, he schools his expression and grins. “Wanna surf, city boy?” He asks, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

Jeno considers his offer. He’s never surfed before, but he finds himself wanting to try. Even if he’s horrific at it, the idea of successfully catching a wave is too good to pass up. “Hell yeah I do!”

Donghyuck laughs loudly, a melodious sound, and leads Jeno along the boardwalk to where a row of wooden buildings are tucked against the cliff face.

“This beach is quite popular with tourists and locals alike, so there’s a cafe and a bar and a surf rental. That’s where I run my class from.” Donghyuck explains, leading Jeno to that very shack. They push the door open, ducking into the dimly lit shop. Jeno sighs at the cool temperature inside and wipes the sweat from his brow.

“Jaehyun?” Donghyuck calls, wandering to the back of the shop where board after board is lined up behind the counter.

“Hyuck?” A man pokes his head up from behind the till. Jeno figures by the way he leaps over the counter and greets Donghyuck that this must be Jaehyun. He’s a handsome man, tall and muscular—totally Jaemin’s type. He’s got a tan to rival Donghyuck’s, and a deep voice to match his sharp looks. 

Jeno fleetingly wonders whether it’s a rule to be attractive if you live in this town.

“Jaehyun’s gonna grab us a couple boards, okay? Are you alright to wear a wetsuit? I guessed your size, it should fit. I’m a pretty good judge of size.” Donghyuck says, approaching Jeno with two wetsuits slung over his arm.

Jeno nods and takes the one that Donghyuck offers him. He ducks into one of the changing rooms that run along the side wall, slipping out of his shorts and t-shirt and struggling into the slightly damp wetsuit. The material is ice cold against his body. It’s an effort—he hops around the small space, trying to shove his foot through the tight material. Jeno curses as he over balances and knocks into the wall; there’s a tap on the changing room door and Donghyuck’s voice follows soon after, asking if he’s alright.

“Yeah.” Jeno chokes out as he wriggles the suit up his body, jumping up and down to try and help the process. “Just trying to get into my wetsuit.”

“Alright. I’m gonna go give Jaehyun a hand with the boards, ‘kay? When you’re done just chuck your clothes behind the counter with mine and come find me outside.”

Jeno hums in response and listens to the gentle padding of Donghyuck’s bare feet on the floor of the shop as he walks away. Luckily for him, the rest of the wetsuit goes on easily, and soon enough he’s yanking the zip all the way up and emerging from the suffocatingly small changing room.

He does as he was told: he tucks his clothes beside Donghyuck’s own—his neatly folded, Donghyuck’s screwed up messily—and heads outside. Almost immediately he walks straight into his new friend’s back.

“Hey, Jeno.” Donghyuck greets him, and gives him a very obvious once over. “I chose a good size, huh.” He comments. Jeno’s cheeks flush a bright pink and one of the guys clustered around them snorts. 

“Leave him alone, Hyuckie, the poor boy isn’t used to you yet.” The tallest one snickers.

Jeno blinks rapidly. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to Donghyuck’s direct approach. Everyone in Seoul is so much more… reserved. Repress and reject is the city’s motto, nothing like the carefree nature here.

“Shut up, Johnny.” Donghyuck mutters, shoving the tallest guy roughly. He barely moves though, body rigid, just catches Donghyuck’s wrists in his own large hands and laughs heartily.

“Are you going to introduce us then, Hyuck?” The smallest of the three men speaks up. As he takes in the people who were stood chatting with Donghyuck, Jeno realises he’s the only one that Jeno hasn’t caught the name of yet—beside the smaller man is who Jeno now knows is Johnny, and then there’s Jaehyun from the surf shop. He’s also the only one aside from Jeno and Donghyuck to have his wetsuit already done all the way up. Johnny and Jaehyun’s are both only pulled up to the waist, letting the sleeves trail on the floor. It reveals naked chests and arms littered with tattoos—Jaehyun’s more heavily so than Johnny’s—and stomachs toned from hours spent on the waves.

“Oh, right. Jeno, this is my step-brother Johnny and his fiancé Taeyong.” Donghyuck gestures to each man in turn, and Jeno greets them politely. Slyly, he checks out the rings on their fingers, admiring the pretty silver bands. Back in Seoul most of his friends are gay or, like himself, play for both teams, but Jeno’s never met two engaged men before. And now, in the space of two days, he’s met _two_ couples. He wonders briefly who proposed to who.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Taeyong returns the greeting with a smile, and Jeno is struck by how beautiful he is. They both are, actually—Taeyong is sharp and icy with ashy grey hair swept off his forehead and piercings littering his ears, and the way Johnny’s long brown hair is pulled into a bun at the back of his head gives him a relaxed, earthy and warm aura that instantly makes Jeno feel at ease. Shorter hairs spill out of the bun and frame his face handsomely; he has a simple stud in each ear. Jeno admires how much of a gorgeous couple they make, and he mentally adds them to the pile of evidence that this is a hot people only neighbourhood. He feels a little inadequate and is momentarily struck with an intense desire to earn their approval.

Johnny reiterates Taeyong’s pleasantries. “Don’t let Hyuck boss you around, alright? Don’t be afraid to call him out on his bullshit. There’s a lot of it, let me tell you.”

Jeno splutters and Donghyuck sends a weak punch to Johnny’s gut. “Lies!” He turns to Jeno. “It’s all lies. This is a bullshit free zone.” He holds his right hand up in the Scout salute. “I swear on Johnny’s life.”

Jeno raises an eyebrow, inclined to believe that in itself is not entirely true. 

“Betting on my life now, little bro? You wound me.” Johnny clutches his heart, dramatically feigning hurt. Taeyong joins in, side hugging his fiancé and rubbing his side with a pout thrown in Donghyuck’s direction. For all their visual differences, Jeno can already tell that Johnny and Taeyong are just right for each other.

Jeno leans in towards Donghyuck. “Hmm. I’m not sure I believe you.” He murmurs, referring to Donghyuck’s earlier statement. Then, louder: “Hey, do you guys smell that?” He pretends to sniff the air. “It smells like bullshit to me.”

Johnny hoots with laughter, and Donghyuck just stares at Jeno, mouth open. Satisfied, Jeno rocks back on his heels, arms folded and a smug smile on his face. Behind his hand, even Taeyong snickers.

“I like this one, Hyuckie!” Johnny crows gleefully. “He’s only been here a day and he’s got you all figured out.”

Donghyuck splutters as he overcomes his shock. “You!” He points a finger at Jeno. “I can’t believe you do have a fun side after all!”

“I might be a certified workaholic, Donghyuck, but I’m not a stick in the mud. Jaemin is my best friend, remember.” Jeno sniffs in mock contempt.

“True.” Donghyuck slings an arm over Jeno’s shoulder and pinches his cheek. “Just didn’t think you had it in you.”

Jeno just rolls his eyes, and Jaehyun takes that as his opportunity to cut in.

“As much as Hyuckie finally being put in his place is incredibly amusing to watch, do you guys wanna catch some waves or not?” He whines, shifting his board under his arm.

“Of course. We’ll just grab some boards, Jae, wait for us at the shore.” Johnny tells him, clapping him on the back. Jaehyun nods and starts jogging down the beach. His heels kick sand up behind him as he goes.

“I thought you were helping Jaehyun with them?” Jeno asks Donghyuck quietly as they go round the side of the shop. There’s a smaller building hidden there, and as they go inside Jeno discovers it’s where Jaehyun keeps his spare stock. In one corner, there’s a small stack of boards.

“Yeah.” Donghyuck shrugs. “I didn’t expect Johnny and Taeyong to be down here today though.”

Johnny is already rifling through the stack of boards. He passes one to Taeyong, who takes it and heads back out into the sun. “Yours, Hyuckie.” He calls, passing Donghyuck one next. 

“These are our personal boards. We don’t rent them from Jaehyun, but he lets us store them down here anyway.” Donghyuck explains.

Jeno nods in understanding, and watches warily as Johnny sizes him up before pulling out another surfboard. “Here. I think this one will be good for you.”

Thanking him, Jeno takes it and looks at it blankly. He’s going to have to trust Johnny’s judgement on this one.

Once Johnny’s grabbed his own surfboard, they all head out and Johnny locks the door behind them, hiding the key under the doormat. Jeno can see Taeyong and Jaehyun waiting for them by the shore. As they reach them, Jaehyun grins, bouncing on his toes. “Took you long enough.” He grins before zipping his suit up, picking up his surfboard off the sand and throwing himself straight into the shallows. Within seconds, he’s passed the throngs of small children paddling about and is lying on his stomach on his board, out where the waves are huge and rolling.

“Jaehyun’s a bit of a surf junkie.” Johnny snorts at his friend’s enthusiasm. Behind them, the lifeguard begins shuffling the swimmers to the calmer side of the bay, allowing them to surf freely without worry. Johnny waves to him, a silent thanks. The lifeguard grins widely and throws a thumbs up back.

“That’s Jungwoo.” Johnny says, threading his arms into the sleeves of his wetsuit.

“You know the lifeguard?” Jeno asks, surprised. They pick their boards up and wade into the ocean; Jeno shudders at the feeling of the warm water on his feet.

Donghyuck nods, walking alongside Jeno. Johnny and Taeyong have gone out ahead of them to catch up with Jaehyun, miles more confident. Jeno is grateful for Donghyuck’s company, especially because he knows that Donghyuck could be right out there with the older guys if he wanted to. “Yeah. We spend a hell of a lot of time down here. I think I know pretty much every lifeguard who works on this beach.”

“Huh.” Jeno’s impressed.

Soon enough, the water is up past Jeno’s waist and he’s dancing on his tiptoes to keep them brushing against the sand. Donghyuck encourages him to get on the board now and holds it firmly still as Jeno struggles to pull himself up onto it. He grunts and heaves himself up onto the board, rolling onto it on his stomach with all the grace and elegance of a beached whale.

“Alright?” Donghyuck asks, not letting go of the board until he’s sure Jeno is steady. Jeno nods, jaw clenched. He grips the board tightly as Donghyuck jumps onto his own with enviable ease.

He follows Donghyuck as they paddle out to where Johnny, Jaehyun and Taeyong are waiting. Taeyong is sat up on his board, straddled over it with one leg dangling in the water either side of it. He’s laughing at something Johnny just said, and Jaehyun is on his back, basking in the sun and working on his tan.

“Hey, losers!” Donghyuck calls, paddling up to Johnny and crashing into his board.

“Hey, Hyuckie.” Taeyong giggles, watching fondly as the brothers bicker playfully.

Jeno lies still on his board, chin resting against the cool material. He feels unsteady as the waves make him bob up and down precariously. Not wanting to embarrass himself in front of the older guys by falling off this early on, he tries to keep as still as possible and doesn’t dare to move. He’d like to leave this beach with a least a little bit of his pride still intact.

“Ready to give this a go, city boy?” Donghyuck asks, focusing his attention back on Jeno.

Jeno swallows. “Yeah?”

He’d been enthusiastic before, in love with the idea of catching a wave like a pro, but now he’s actually here he’s terrified. The water is crystal clear, but the seabed looks miles away and the inevitability of falling off makes Jeno’s stomach turn. Donghyuck seems to sense his nerves; he paddles his board over to Jeno with much less force than he did to Johnny and rests a hand on Jeno’s arm.

“We’ll start slow, okay?”

Jeno nods again, grateful.

“The bay’s empty!” Johnny calls, and as soon as the next wave rolls in Jaehyun is paddling forwards, arms entering the water smoothly with each powerful stroke. Jeno watches in awe as he easily keeps up with the speed of the wave; as the wave starts to break Jaehyun jumps onto his feet, barely even wobbling, and rides out the rest of the wave. As he hits the shallows he tumbles gracefully from his board and into the water, a wide grin on his face. From next to Jeno, Johnny cheers loudly. Donghyuck puts his pinkies in his mouth and whistles. The sound rockets around the bay, bouncing off the surrounding cliffs.

Jeno watches, amused, as Jaehyun emerges from the water theatrically, eating up their response and slicking his wet hair back off his face.

“That was amazing.” Jeno compliments, and Donghyuck hums in agreement.

“We’ll have you surfing like that by the end of the week.” He says. Jeno snorts.

“Sure.” It’s highly unlikely, but he won’t crush Donghyuck’s sunny optimism.

“You getting this one with us, Hyuck?” Johnny yells. He and Taeyong are poised on their boards, ready to go with the next suitable wave. Donghyuck turns to Jeno, silently asking for permission, which Jeno gives without hesitating. He finds himself floating in anticipation as he watches Donghyuck paddle to join his brother. 

None of the three have the same level of skill as Jaehyun, but they all ride the wave like they were born to do it. Jeno finds his eyes drawn to Donghyuck’s steady form, and admires the way his dark hair and tanned skin stand out against the sparkling blue of the sea. 

“Donghyuck’s good, isn’t he?” 

Jeno jumps, his board rocking slightly. Jaehyun had silently drawn himself alongside Jeno without the latter noticing at all. 

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Very good” Jeno murmurs.

Jaehyun wipes at his face, getting rid of the water dripping into his eyes. Some wet strands of hair fall down over his forehead. “You like him a lot already, I can tell.”

Jeno scoffs. “I barely know him.”

Jaehyun grins easily, deep dimples appearing in his cheeks. “It’s okay, you know. You’re allowed to like him. And besides, it’s easy to like Hyuckie. He’s just that kind of person.”

Jeno doesn’t reply, deep in thought. Jaehyun watches as the city boy’s frown gets impossibly deeper.

“And for the record, he seems to really like you too.” Jaehyun adds, enjoying the way Jeno’s eyes bulge in a mix of shock and confusion.

“What?” _What is he implying?_

“He doesn’t offer to be anybody’s personal tour guide, you know.” Jaehyun trails his hand in the water as he speaks, admiring the ripples that fan out across the water in their wake. “I don’t think he’s done it for anybody before. Even for this girl who stayed with him a couple months back, and she was _really_ hot.” Jaehyun licks his lips at the memory. 

Jeno grimaces, but his chest feels tight. As Donghyuck swims back towards them, eyes alight and sparkling with pure joy, Jeno is reminded of the couple on the plane, and his consequential thought from the bus journey here.

_A kiss would be enough._

Connecting that thought with Donghyuck makes something stir in Jeno’s gut. He’s not blind—of course he knows Donghyuck is attractive. Apart from being tall in the way Johnny is, Donghyuck is Jeno’s ideal type in more ways than one, so it’s hard to ignore that fact. But he’s reminded of what he promised himself: no romance, just self care and recuperation. Besides, Donghyuck’s his Airbnb host. It would be inappropriate.

Wouldn’t it?

Plus, Donghyuck’s probably only being nice because Jeno spilled his tragic life story to him the night before. He probably just feels bad.

Yeah. That’s definitely it. He just wants Jeno to enjoy his holiday.

As Donghyuck reaches him, Jeno pushes all those thoughts out of his mind. He tries with a surprising amount of success to focus on anything other than the way drops of water glisten and trickle down Donghyuck’s skin and the way his smile lights up his whole face.

“That was so much fun!” Donghyuck exclaims, splashing water in Jeno’s direction. 

“Jeno thinks you were really good, Hyuckie. He thinks you’re better than me.” Jaehyun says, sending a subtle wink in Jeno’s direction. The latter chokes back an outraged response, hoping the embarrassed blush on his cheeks can be passed off as just being overheated.

“Aw, shucks. Thanks, Jen!” Donghyuck says. “Your turn now!”

Jeno freezes at the sudden reminder that he’s not just here to spectate. “I - I don’t think I can, Donghyuck.” He says quietly. 

Donghyuck paddles closer, concerned at Jeno’s change of tone. “You were so excited before, though.” 

“I know. But the idea of surfing is a lot nicer than actually being out here.” Jeno manages to get out while his mind begins to run at a hundred miles an hour.

It would be alright if this wasn’t the first time Jeno’s been in the sea since he was a child, a good fifteen years ago. Having parents who preferred city getaways rather than beach vacations, he never had the opportunity to splash around in the waves like the other kids. He can swim, but an indoor pool is a whole other kettle of fish to the unpredictable expanse of the ocean.

“Let’s just practise swimming in first.” Donghyuck runs a soothing hand down Jeno’s arm which is still gripping the board like a lifeline. “No standing up on the board. We’ll go together, okay?”

Slowly, Jeno nods. Taeyong gives him a thumbs up and Johnny raises his fist in solidarity; Jeno sends them a tight lipped, mildly terrified smile in return before joining Donghyuck in swimming towards the shore.

Despite his fear though, Jeno decides to just go for it.

His heart thunders in his ears as he focuses on pouring energy into his arms to keep pulling at the water. The sea surges over the front of his board, sending chills through his body as it soaks through his wetsuit. Jeno barely registers Donghyuck’s presence beside him until the other man is yelling at him to roll into the water.

For a moment, Jeno stops paddling in disbelief at the request until he watches Donghyuck tip himself into the water just before the water gets too shallow and they painfully crash into the steep bank of sand. He takes a deep breath, steeling himself as he rolls off the board and into the blue.

He feels himself sinking downwards. Jeno shuts his eyes as he does, and as soon as his back hits the sand he starts frantically swimming back up to the surface. Within seconds Jeno’s bursting through the surface, taking gasping breaths as his eyes fly open. He’s blinded by the reflection of the sun on the sea, and he rubs his eyes furiously to rid them of water. Jeno turns round, searching for Donghyuck. He finds him already on his feet, waiting for Jeno to get up so they can paddle back to the others. His curly hair is stuck out wildly in all directions.

“Alright?” Donghyuck asks, tucking his hair behind his ears.

“I think so.” Jeno’s words come out in a breathless gasp. They make their way back out towards the horizon, reaching the others. Jaehyun claps as they approach, and Jeno grins.

“Ready to go again?” He asks, and Jeno is surprised to find that the answer on his lips is a firm _yes._

The rest of the afternoon is spent going back and forth on the waves: riding them into the shore only to swim back out and do it all over again. Jeno ignores the way the fatigue monster rises its ugly head to claw at his muscles and instead loses himself in the moment. The feeling of the sun on his face is totally different from in Seoul, especially with the smell of a barbecue being wafted out to sea and the burn of salty water on his tongue. Jeno loves the way the board cuts through the sea, loves the way that Donghyuck shrieks when he overtakes as they go hurtling inland, loves the way that Johnny slaps him proudly on the back the first time he manages to stand up on the board with shaky legs. Even if he fell off as soon as he got up there, Jeno _loves_ it.

When Taeyong—who stopped surfing hours ago in favour of curling up on a towel on the sand with a book—calls them to come out of the water, Jeno finds himself almost disappointed. They drop the boards back off at Jaehyun’s shack and hang around for a while wrapped in towels. Jeno’s hair hangs in his eyes and his nose won’t stop running and that familiar bone deep tiredness is back, but for the first time in a while he feels truly _happy._

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> join me on my long haired surfer boy Johnny agenda


	4. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck takes Jeno on a forest adventure.

The next morning, Jeno finds himself pedalling deeper and deeper into the throng of the forest, sweat clinging to his back.

Donghyuck had woken him early, knocking on his door and telling Jeno to “Get up, we’re going exploring!”

This is not what Jeno had in mind when he said exploring, but Donghyuck’s reasoning had been that his bike had finally been repaired and he needs to test it out.

With one hand holding onto the straw hat he wears, Donghyuck speeds along the dirt track ahead of Jeno, knees stuck out to the side as he wiggles about all over the path. Jeno laughs at his antics and ignores the lump of nerves in his throat about Donghyuck falling off. It’s still early enough that the sun hasn’t quite broken through the thick canopy above their heads, so the air is cool on the verge of uncomfortably chilly against Jeno’s exposed skin. The only thing keeping him from being cold is the level of exertion that cycling requires.

It seems Donghyuck doesn’t realise just how unfit Jeno truly is. He wasn’t prepared to be thrown into such a physical lifestyle; the muscles in his arms are already sore and aching from yesterday’s surfing. Now, on the bike, they’re struggling.

“Come on, Jeno, we’re almost there!” Donghyuck yells over his shoulder as the path starts to dip down, taking a sharp turn to the left. The gap in the trees that they disappear through is almost unnoticeable. If he hadn’t been with Donghyuck, Jeno knows he would have missed it.

_I wonder how he knows about this place,_ Jeno thinks as he speeds up his peddling in an effort to keep up with Donghyuck. The man in question has flown down the track, embracing its downhill nature, and is way ahead of Jeno now. Occasionally, a cry of joy makes its way back to Jeno, who smiles at the sound as he grips the handlebars tightly while the bike jolts over tree roots and the uneven ground.

He finally manages to catch up with Donghyuck when the Airbnb host skids his bike to a halt at the side of a wide lake. Jeno comes to a clumsy stop beside him, head hung low as his chest heaves, trying to catch his breath. Sweat collects on his temple; he wipes it off with the side of his hand.

“We’re here.” Donghyuck declares, before shrugging his backpack off and wheeling his bike to lean it up against the nearest tree.

Jeno takes in one more gulp of oxygen and straightens up, finally taking in his surroundings. Till now, he’d been too focused on the burn in his chest to take in much of the forest, but now they’ve arrived he can bathe in its beauty.

His jaw drops.

The lake is bigger than Jeno expected, with low banks and lily pads clustered on the surface. As he takes tentative steps closer to the edge, he realises the water is just as beautifully blue and crystal clear as the ocean water. He can see right to the bottom. Fish swim around close to the surface: hundreds of tiny things zipping around in shoals. Jeno’s eyes flick around, trying to follow their path, but it’s near impossible as they disappear into the middle of the lake. He finds himself staring at nothing but his own rippling reflection on the surface.

Around the edge of the lake, by the banks and on the treeline, is an explosion of flora and fauna. Long grass and hedgerow sprawls out from the forest into the clearing, and littered amongst it is an array of wildflowers in all different colours. A gentle aroma fills the air, floral and sweet. Jeno inhales deeply, savouring it.

“It’s beautiful here.” Jeno murmurs. He’s right—it’s the definition of idyllic.

But perhaps the most breathtaking feature is the waterfall on the other side of the lake. Donghyuck has already begun to wander round towards it, ambling absentmindedly with his hands shoved in his pockets. Jeno hurries after him, eager to see it up close.

“Careful here.” Donghyuck says, sticking a hand out to warn Jeno as they reach the edge of the river. His fingertips brush against Jeno’s skin, warm against cool. A shiver washes over Jeno’s body momentarily before he refocuses on the slippery rocks in front of him.

The grassy bank stops abruptly to make way for a rocky bridge of sorts. Less of a bridge, more just simply a path of huge rocks sat on the riverbed. In front of them, the waterfall thunders down, the sound powerful and impenetrable. It’s deafening, but entrancing. Jeno watches warily as Donghyuck teeters across the stepping stones—one hand holding firmly onto his straw hat whilst the other flails wildly—hopping from one to another and making his way across where the water leaves the lake and continues on down the valley. 

When he’s halfway across, Donghyuck stops and beckons for Jeno to follow. Trusting that it’s safe, Jeno begins to step from stone to stone, treading carefully amongst the moss and the more slippery parts. He reaches Donghyuck easily and grabs onto his arm as he teeters on the rock.

“Woah.” Jeno’s lips part in awe. “It’s even prettier up close.”

Donghyuck hums in agreement, but unlike Jeno, he’s not looking at the waterfall.

Not that Jeno notices of course, because he’s too busy admiring the way the sunlight hits the water. It sparkles like a thousand crystals tumbling over each other, littered with rainbows from the light passing through. It’s like it’s dripping with magic. Jeno urges Donghyuck to completely cross the river so that he can reach out and touch it.

“Through here.” Donghyuck leads Jeno under a low archway that was hidden from view until now. Grass growing out of the rock wall brushes against his face as he ducks underneath it, wetting Jeno’s skin lightly. The temperature drops considerably as they find themselves in a dim cave behind the waterfall itself. Jeno feels as though they’ve stepped into another world; it feels completely isolated and cut off from the outside. It’s impossibly louder in this small space, but Jeno pays it no mind. He’s too busy staring in awe at the sight in front of him.

Taking sure steps forwards, Jeno moves towards the raging body of water with an outstretched arm. Slowly he pushes his hand through it.

“Fuck, it’s cold.” He breathes out, watching as goosebumps ripple across his arm. Jeno turns his hand in the water, feeling the weight of it push against his palm. It’s an effort to keep his hand there, and he tires quickly, retracting his hand and wiping it on his shorts.

Donghyuck just watches him with a smile as Jeno stares, wide eyed in awe at the waterfall. “You’re so cute.” He murmurs, knowing it’s too noisy in this small space for Jeno to hear anything he says.

Because of that, they return to the banks of the lake soon after, despite Jeno’s reluctance. Donghyuck procures two bento boxes filled with fried rice and veggies from his rucksack and they tuck into the food, sat on the edge of the lake with their feet dangling in the cool water below.

“So.” Jeno starts through a mouthful of food. “How did you find out about this place? It’s lovely, but it’s not exactly easy to find.”

Donghyuck swallows his mouthful and nods. “I came here a lot as a child. My parents are divorced, as you must have guessed ‘cause I have a step brother, and during the time when they were filing for it this place was like my escape. I used to spend hours just wandering through the woods in silence, and one day I happened upon this clearing.” There seems to be a sadness that overcomes him as he talks, staring around at the wonders in front of him, and Jeno hesitates for a second before reaching out and rubbing Donghyuck’s shoulder comfortingly.

“The only other person who knows about this place—as far as I know—is Johnny, because he had to come find me once when I came here and didn’t go home for hours.” Donghyuck admits, scratching gently at the bottom of his now empty container with his fork.

“So how come you’re showing me?”

Donghyuck turns to gaze at Jeno, lips quirking as he finds Jeno with his cheeks full of rice and eyes full of curiosity.

“I don’t know.” Donghyuck muses, tapping at his chin with his fork and realising it’s the truth. “I honestly don’t know.”

Jeno shrugs and shovels the last mouthful of rice into his mouth. “Jaehyun was right. You must really like me.” He snorts, the tone of his voice implying he’s saying those words almost flippantly.

Donghyuck finds himself relieved that Jeno isn’t aware of how much he’s liked by the Airbnb host. It’s almost crazy to Donghyuck, how much Jeno intrigues him despite meeting him only two days ago. He feels as though Jeno crashed into his life and so Donghyuck is struck with an inexplicable desire to know him, to talk to him all the time, to show him all of his favourite places in town and on the island. Frankly, he doesn’t quite know what to make of such a feeling. 

“Maybe Jaehyun was right.” Donghyuck breathes, eyes snapping away from Jeno as the latter looks up in surprise.

“Oh.” Jeno says softly. Eyebrows pinched together, he nibbles at his lip. There’s a light flush on Donghyuck’s cheeks, and probably a matching one on Jeno’s own, but he won’t admit to himself that he _likes_ the fact that Donghyuck likes him so much.

“Anyway,” Donghyuck blurts, shattering the light tension that had begun to blossom between them. His normal easygoing grin retakes it’s rightful place on his lips. “Are you in the mood for ice cream?”

Jeno nods eagerly, knowing that as soon as they leave the sheltered forest the heat is going to hit them like a solid wall and that ice cream will be a sweet relief. “Always.”

Donghyuck puts his straw hat back on and stands up; Jeno takes the hand he offers to help haul himself up off the ground. “Good. I know just the place.”

☼

The bell rings out through the shop as Jeno and Donghyuck make their way inside. It’s a cute place, with decor reminiscent of a pastel purple American diner. Along the right-hand wall and round the back are booths with high backed seats and tables with metal rims, and the left wall is taken up by a huge counter. There’s an ice cream cabinet maybe three times the size of the bath back home in Jeno’s apartment, a slushie and milkshake machine on the bar behind and racks of sweets and cold drinks. Manning the till is a guy about their age dressed in a purple sailor’s outfit.

Donghyuck approaches him with a smile and a small salute.

“Ahoy there, Mark Lee!”

Jeno chuckles as Mark Lee rolls his eyes before shooting Donghyuck a friendly grin. “Hey, Hyuck. It’s been too long.”

“It’s been,” Donghyuck makes a show of checking his non-existent watch. “Like, just over twenty-four hours, get a grip. You’re so obsessed with me.” He whines, but Jeno can tell there’s no bite to his words. 

“I still missed you.” Mark winks, and Donghyuck pretends to vomit. “Anyway, who’s this pretty face you’ve brought with you? Is he your boyfriend?” Mark looks around the shop for a second to check there’s no customers he needs to attend to before resting his elbows on the counter and leaning forwards in obvious interest.

Something in Jeno’s stomach stirs as he notices the way a blush blooms on Donghyuck’s cheeks. The Airbnb host laughs nervously before shoving Mark. “No, he’s my guest, Mark! Be nice!”

“Oh, so he’s not off limits then?” Mark grins, not so subtly eyeing Jeno up and down as he smirks and bites his lip. Jeno shifts under his gaze, not sure how to handle Mark’s sudden advances. He’s cute, Jeno’ll give him that, but...

“Hands off, Canada, or I’ll chop them off.” Donghyuck threatens. “Don’t ruin my lovely Jeno’s first impressions of our beautiful town.”

_My lovely Jeno?_ Jeno blinks and turns to stare at Donghyuck, wide eyed. Donghyuck feels his gaze immediately and begins to stammer. “I mean, because I don’t want him to give my Airbnb a bad review, of course! Shut _up_ Mark, we only came here for ice cream, what are you laughing at?” Donghyuck’s voice quickly morphs from nervous to indignant as Mark lets out a shrill bark of laughter.

“Alright, whatever you say, Donghyuck.” Mark holds his hands up in mock surrender. “What can I get you?” He asks, still snickering to himself as he pushes himself off the counter to grab an ice cream scoop from the bucket of water on the side.

Donghyuck turns to Jeno. “What do you want? It’s on me.”

Oh, God. Jeno scans the billions of different flavours on offer, mind fumbling anxiously as he tries to make a coherent decision with both Mark and Donghyuck waiting expectantly.

The tips of his ears are red when he answers. “Uh, what’s your favourite flavour?”

Delighted, Donghyuck launches into a passionate explanation of his ice cream ranking—which can be found in his survival guide, apparently—but Jeno barely takes any of it in and just goes with: “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

Donghyuck sniffs in contempt. “Why don’t we share a sundae, then? That way my wallet isn’t paying for two of the same.”

Mark, from the other side of the counter, clicks his tongue. “Hyuck, stop cheating me out of money. I’m trying to make a profit here.” He complains.

Jeno raises his eyebrows, questioning, as Mark grabs a large glass—which is actually more of a bowl with a stem in Jeno’s opinion—and starts to make the sundae Donghyuck requests. 

“Donghyuck’s usual is like, three scoops. A sundae is way cheaper than buying two ice creams with three scoops each. He’s cheating me out of profit and he knows it.”

Jeno turns to Donghyuck to find the other wearing a shit-eating grin. “What can I say, I make my money work.” He shrugs. “Plus I get to share an ice cream with my favourite guest in the world, so it’s a win-win.”

Mark snorts, and hands the sundae over. It’s huge, smothered in chocolate sauce and sprinkles. Two wafers are stuck haphazardly in the top scoop. Donghyuck chucks him some cash and grabs the glass and two spoons.

“I’m saying nothing.” Mark mutters.

Donghyuck chooses to ignore him and leads Jeno by the elbow to the back of the shop. Surprisingly, a few of the tables are taken by various people, old and young alike, all engrossed in gentle chatter over colourful ice creams and tall thick milkshakes. Jeno likes how this part of the shop feels separate to the entrance, a little more closed in and intimate. The lights are dim, lacking the natural sunlight that streams in through the huge windows at the front of the shop. There’s booths around the edges and metal tables clustered in the middle. In the far left corner, a record player stands with a whole shelf of records underneath. The music plays at a low volume; just loud enough to mask the lulls in conversation. The walls are decorated with shelves housing sprawling green plants and various knick-knacks.

Donghyuck bypasses the empty tables though and heads to a booth the far right corner where another man sits. He’s furiously typing on his laptop, eyebrows frowning harshly, and doesn’t look like he wants to be disturbed.

Jeno hangs back, tugging on Donghyuck’s arm. “Donghyuck, maybe we should—”

“Nonsense.” Donghyuck waves him off as they reach the booth. “Renjunnie is so excited to see us, aren’t you?” He plonks the sundae down on the table and slides into the booth opposite _Renjunnie_. Jeno sits next to him carefully, avoiding the huge pot plant stood tucked right between the seat and the wall. “Sit down, Jeno, let me introduce you to my biffle.”

At the mention of his name, Renjun had stopped typing and was now watching them curiously over the top of his laptop. His narrowed gaze slides from Donghyuck to Jeno, and after scrutinising the newcomer for a second his expression of distaste turns into one of something akin to realisation—almost as if something had clicked into place in his head. He extends a hand over the table towards Jeno and smiles.

“Hello Jeno, I’m Renjun. Donghyuck’s better half. It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry you are unfortunate enough to have to spend time in his company.” Renjun’s smile is demure and polite, but his words are deadpan. As Jeno shakes his hand, the grip is firm but his skin is soft. Almost at once, Jeno is perplexed by the juxtaposition of the person in front of him.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Jeno says mildly. There’s something about the way Renjun is looking at him with a glint in his eye that makes Jeno feel like he’s missing something.

Donghyuck nudges Jeno with his elbow and slides a long handled spoon across the table, inviting him to dig into the sundae. He’s already begun to help himself, his lips smeared with a translucent layer of melted ice cream. Jeno does so quietly as Donghyuck pauses eating to speak. The ice cream is cool against Jeno’s tongue; he’s pleased to find it’s banana flavoured.

“So, Renjun, how many times have you pretended not to gaze lovingly at Mark today?” Donghyuck asks casually. He waves his spoon in Renjun’s direction as he speaks before taking another mouthful of ice cream.

Both Renjun and Jeno splutter in response. Renjun’s choke of surprise is accompanied by a “Shut the fuck up, Donghyuck! I don’t want him to hear.”

As if to reiterate his outburst, Renjun’s eyes flick over to where Mark is stood behind the counter. Jeno also sneaks a look; this table seems to be the best spot for Mark-watching, with the till directly across the room from here. Luckily for Renjun though, Mark seems to be too heavily engrossed in cleaning a particularly stubborn sticky spot on the counter to have overheard their conversation. His face is twisted in concentration and his tongue pokes out from between his lips. Jeno watches amusedly as Renjun’s worried expression turns quickly soft at the sight.

“Mark is as deaf as he is oblivious, you have nothing to worry about.” Donghyuck sucks at his spoon, exasperated. He turns to Jeno. “Mark and Renjun have this incessantly annoying mutual pining thing going on, but Mark doesn’t know Renjun likes him back and Renjun is too much of a coward to make the first move.” He explains, and Jeno nods in understanding.

“You should go for it.” He offers, before turning his focus back to the ice cream. Jeno’s a little out of his depth here. Unsurprisingly, he’s not very good at relationship advice. In response, Renjun scoffs: a clear disagreement.

“He doesn’t like me like that. I still think he’s crushing on Yukhei.” Renjun sits back in the booth and sighs, shutting his laptop with a snap. There’s a glass of lemonade on the table in front of him and he reaches out to trace patterns in the condensation in defeat.

“So date both of them!” Donghyuck huffs. “I know you think Yukhei is cute as hell as well.”

“He’s way out of my league.” Renjun sighs again, leaning his chin on his palm in despair. “As is Mark.”

“You’re so frustrating.” Donghyuck groans, and he leans his forehead on Jeno’s shoulder dramatically. “When will my suffering end?”

Renjun snorts and takes a sip of his drink. “So, Jeno.” He starts, swiftly changing the subject. “Do you have a significant other back in the big city? Or two?”

Jeno swallows his mouthful of ice cream before answering. “How did you know I was from Seoul?” He asks in return, carefully avoiding Renjun’s question. He’s not sure why he doesn’t want to answer—maybe it’s because of the way he felt Donghyuck stiffen in his seat, maybe it’s because of how embarrassingly lonely he is. Neither answer is something he wants to entertain.

Renjun shrugs. “Donghyuck told me.”

Jeno raises an eyebrow at the Airbnb host, who smiles guiltily.

“In fact,” Renjun continues. “Donghyuck’s told me all about h-”

“Enough!” Donghyuck reaches over and slaps a hand across Renjun’s mouth. Renjun laughs, eyes full of mirth. 

“You didn’t answer my question, Jeno!” He pushes when Donghyuck retracts his hand with reluctance.

Jeno swallows and shakes his head. “No, I’m very single.” He says, laughing awkwardly. He digs his spoon into the bottom of the sundae glass and focuses on the scrape of metal against glass intensely, determined to avoid both boys’ gaze. 

Renjun hums. “Do you like boys?”

“I’m bisexual.” Jeno answers honestly, just as Donghyuck mutters “Subtle, Renjun, so fucking subtle.” under his breath.

“I see. Sorry to be intrusive.” Renjun smiles apologetically as he opens his laptop again. If Jeno’s being truthful, he thinks Renjun is anything but sorry for asking questions, but decides not to push it. “But an interested party made me ask. Besides, who comes to Jeju if they’re not looking for a good romance?”

“Yes.” Jeno says, voice strained. _Certainly not me._ “So I’ve been told.” 

As Jeno once again retreats to his ice cream oasis, he misses the pointed look Renjun sends Donghyuck. He’s already stumped by the direction this conversation quickly took—somehow, he feels as though he’s being treated way too comfortably. He only met Renjun about twenty minutes ago. How did the conversation get so personal so quickly? And why does Jeno feel as though there was an underlying intention behind all the questions? 

He has an inkling, but Jeno decides to shove that thought into a locked box and throw away the key. 

_That’s my Airbnb host. He and romance do not go together,_ he reminds himself. Jeno repeats the words _self care and recuperation_ in his head a few times to remind himself why he came here in the first place.

The trio fall into a silence verging on uncomfortable, broken only by Renjun tapping away at his keyboard and the sound of Donghyuck sucking on his spoon. Jeno watches him in his peripheral vision and tries not to let the sound draw his focus towards Donghyuck’s lips.

Then, loudly, Donghyuck’s phone begins to vibrate against the table. The screen lights up: an incoming call.

He sighs and picks it up. “Sorry, guys.” He murmurs as he swipes on the screen to answer. “Hey, Mum.”

Jeno crunches on his wafer. He purposely avoids listening in on the phone call until Donghyuck groans.

“Really? Can you not go to Johnny’s?” He rubs a hand across his face in exasperation. “Alright, okay, I get it. It’s fine. We’ll figure something out. Yeah, okay, I’ll see you later.” He pauses, rolling his eyes at Jeno jokingly as his mother waffles on. “Bye, Mum. Love you.”

As soon as he hangs up, Donghyuck slams his forehead onto the table and groans again loudly. Several other people in the shop turn to look at him in concern.

After several moments of grumbling, Donghyuck sits back up and addresses his friends’ confusion. “My mother is coming to stay with me.”

Renjun raises an eyebrow. “So?”

“So…” The realisation hits Jeno quickly. “I’m staying in Donghyuck’s only guest room.”

Renjun gasps, but immediately his expression turns sly. “There’s only one solution to this.”

“What is it?” Jeno asks, genuinely surprised at the possibility of Renjun solving their dilemma in seconds. Donghyuck, on the other hand, knows exactly what Renjun is about to say, and doesn’t want to have to confront that idea any sooner than he has to. Because inevitably, Renjun is right, and Donghyuck is panicking just at the thought of it.

So before Renjun can explain his solution, Donghyuck is shoving at Jeno and ordering him to get out of the booth. “We’re leaving!” He announces.

“Wha—but—the ice cream!” Jeno complains with a pout. He makes grabby hands at the spoon, but as he’s trapped in Donghyuck’s grip it’s just out of reach. 

Renjun agrees with a smirk. “Yes, you haven’t finished your ice cream! You can’t be leaving already.”

“Too bad!” Donghyuck says, grabbing his phone. “Goodbye, Renjun!” He walks off, leading Jeno by the hand as he does so, making sure that his guest follows him.

“See you soon, Jeno!” Renjun calls, and Jeno twists over his shoulder to wave in return.

“Nope!” Donghyuck yells.

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> donghyuck, you're not using renjun to find out about jeno are you?


	5. five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck takes Jeno to watch the sunrise, but Jeno is a little distracted.

Donghyuck’s mother arrives that evening. She seems so alike with her son and yet so different: he clearly gets a lot of his looks from her, but their personalities could not be more opposing. She is quiet while Donghyuck is loud, she is shy in the way Donghyuck is confident. She greets Jeno politely, apologising for her intrusion, and then she disappears to talk to her son in the other room.

When Donghyuck comes back into the living room where Jeno waits on the sofa, he explains his mother’s situation. Jeno learns she often comes to stay with her son on short notice, although Donghyuck won’t mention why; and whilst she’s not Johnny’s mother, the two are close because of Donghyuck, which is why he asked her if she could go to Johnny’s instead. But apparently she doesn’t like to stay with Johnny, which is why she denied Donghyuck’s request to do so.

“So, uh.” Donghyuck scratches the back of his neck. “She’ll be staying here for a while. I’m not sure for how long. But she said we won’t even notice she’s here, so…” The Airbnb host is apologetic as he sends Jeno a look of helplessness.

Jeno smiles and shakes his head, reaching to squeeze Donghyuck’s hand. “It’s okay, I don’t mind. These things happen. She’s family, after all, you can’t just turn her away.”

Donghyuck visibly relaxes, breathes a sigh of relief and comes to sit next to Jeno on the sofa. “Thank God.” He says, leaning into Jeno’s side. “I was so worried you’d be mad. You came here on holiday. I feel bad that it’s been disrupted like this.” Donghyuck pouts. He shifts himself so his arm closest to Jeno rests on the back of the sofa, and he begins to absentmindedly play with the ends of Jeno’s light brown hair.

In the space of time between leaving the ice cream parlour and now, it seems as though the floodgates holding back the intense waves of Donghyuck’s naturally affectionate and cuddly nature have been opened. It’s been flustering, having Donghyuck latch onto his arm or hand or simply just glance his fingers on Jeno’s shoulder all afternoon. Jeno isn’t sure what changed, or what caused this, but he can’t say he’s entirely opposed to this new side of his Airbnb host—apart from the fact that every touch seems to amplify the way Jeno’s heart thunders in his chest when he and Donghyuck are in close proximity.

“She seems lovely, though, how would she disrupt my break?” Jeno questions. Donghyuck’s fingers in his hair are soothing, especially when his nails scratch lightly against his scalp. His breathing shallows.

“Well, you know… I had to give her your room.” Donghyuck mumbles, and suddenly Jeno understands. “You can have my bed, though. I don’t have a spare mattress or anything but I’ll just sleep on the sofa.”

Jeno shakes his head resolutely. “I can’t let you do that. It’s your house.”

“But you’re my guest!” Donghyuck protests.

Jeno pats Donghyuck’s knee. “I won’t accept it. I’ll sleep here, it’ll be fine.”

“But how can I sleep knowing that such a pretty and lovely guest is breaking his back on my horrible sofa?” Donghyuck pouts, his hand stilling in Jeno’s hair. His mouth forms a small ‘o’ shape as Renjun’s implication from earlier suddenly comes to mind. “Hey… my bed is kinda big though. What do you say, city boy? Wanna share?”

Jeno blushes deeply. “I, uh...”

Donghyuck giggles, ignoring and stomping down on the panic and nerves rising in his stomach. “Come on. It’ll be fine. Don’t try and tell me you’d prefer the sofa over my comfy king size bed.” His smug smile knows that Jeno cannot turn him down.

Little does Donghyuck know, it was what Jeno had hoped as soon as the dilemma had come to light. It’d been a fleeting desire, immediately quashed, because why on earth would Donghyuck want to share with him? Jeno imagined that that would be a line that a host and his guest cannot cross.

But as Donghyuck takes his hand and leads him up the stairs, it would seem he has been proved otherwise. The line, already heavily blurred, is smudged once again with every step they take closer to Donghyuck’s room. But the screaming in his head is too loud for Jeno to see any bright side to this conclusion yet.

They get ready in silence, and soon enough Jeno finds himself sat on the edge of a bed that Donghyuck is already tucked into.

“Get in, Jeno.” Donghyuck whines, tugging at the hem of Jeno’s sleep shirt.

Reluctantly, Jeno slides under the covers and wriggles around to get warm. He feels sleepy, but there’s something he’s been thinking about and wants to ask.

“Hey, Hyuck…” He starts, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling.

The bed dips as Donghyuck rolls onto his side to look at Jeno. “Yeah?”

“What did Renjun mean earlier?” He’s referring to all the questions Renjun had asked, the way he’d implied Donghyuck had been _interested_. It’s been at the back of his mind since Donghyuck had dragged him out of the ice cream parlour.

Donghyuck swallows. “I, uh. I might have mentioned you once or twice.”

“So you’ve been talking about me?” Jeno grins, feeling a little bold in the dark.

“I might have. Just to him. And to Johnny a bit, which means both Taeyong and Jaehyun also know everything, because Johnny wouldn’t know how to keep a secret if it slapped him in the face.” 

Jeno laughs. “A bit? It sounds like you’ve been more than curious.” He teases. “He asked some rather personal things, don’t you think?”

“Okay, so maybe I was a little interested. But how could I not be? You’re my most intriguing guest.” The pitch of his voice rises as Donghyuck hurriedly tries to justify his curiosity.

Honestly, Jeno doesn’t really care. If anything, he’s flattered—bit by bit he’s starting to believe that his attraction is reciprocated. He might be too nervous to say anything, to act upon whatever _this_ is, but it doesn’t mean he’s blind to it. 

“Go on then. If you’re so interested, ask me anything.” Jeno offers, rolling onto his side to face Donghyuck. The Airbnb host’s long curly hair is splayed out over the pillow, and just under the duvet Jeno can see the way his sleep shirt slips down to reveal his collarbone and a hint of more smooth tan skin.

_He’s so, so pretty._ Jeno wonders if Donghyuck is thinking the same thing about him, as he hasn’t taken up Jeno’s offer of a one sided twenty-one questions yet. It’s a self-indulgent thought though, too good to be true.

After a moment longer of consideration, Donghyuck speaks up, and it’s not what Jeno thought he would ask at all.

“How are you feeling after having been here for a few days? Do you feel well rested, a little calmer? Less stressed?” Donghyuck’s voice is laced with real concern, and his eyes are so wide and dark as he asks Jeno thinks he could drown in them.

_Oh._ Jeno pauses, caught a little off guard. If he’s honest, he’s barely had time to think about work since he’s got here. He recalls the past few days; apart from Sunday, perhaps, Donghyuck has kept his mind from work. The day at the lake was enough to begin his week of recuperation completely. “I do.” Jeno admits, tangling and untangling his fingers beneath the duvet. “I feel so much better. I haven’t worried about work since the first couple days.” He pauses. “I feel lighter almost. Unburdened. You know?”

Donghyuck sends him a fond smile, lips pressed together. “Good. I’m glad. You have been looking much less worn out.” He whispers. He reaches out to brush a thumb over the space under Jeno’s eyes. “Less tired.”

Jeno leans into the touch, savouring it, and then mourns when Donghyuck retracts his hand back under the duvet.

“It’s thanks to you, really.” Jeno admits, to which Donghyuck makes a noise of surprise in response.

“What?!”

Jeno nods, his eyes crinkling into half moons as he chuckles at Donghyuck’s cute surprised face. “You’ve kept me so busy this week. And you’re so easy to be around. Like, we’re sharing a bed.” He gestures at the two of them. “That’s saying something. I’ve never felt so relaxed and comfortable around someone this quickly.”

There’s an unreadable expression on Donghyuck’s face, and his voice sounds choked as he asks: “Even quicker than Jaemin?”

“Oh yeah.” Jeno readily agrees. “Much quicker.”

Donghyuck hides his smile by burying his face into his pillow.

“So, thank you, I guess.” Jeno continues.

Donghyuck peeks out of the pillow at him. “For what?’’

Jeno rolls his eyes. He can’t exactly tell if Donghyuck is just fishing for compliments or is genuinely asking, but… “For being you.”

Donghyuck’s mouth falls open. “Oh.” As usual, the cogs in his brain begin to turn, searching for something sarcastic or joking he can quip back at Jeno to ruin the moment. Compliments on his surfing, his singing, his writing… he can take those. But this? This is personal, and it makes Donghyuck’s heart race, and he doesn’t quite know how to deal with it. 

Thankfully he knows that he can't get away with making a joke here, so he shuffles forward and tucks his face against Jeno’s shoulder. “You’re welcome, Jeno. I just want you to be happy.”

Jeno pats Donghyuck on the cheek gently and watches as his eyes slide shut. “I am.” Jeno murmurs into the darkness. “I think I really am.”

☼

On the fourth day of Jeno’s stay, Donghyuck wakes him early. Not the early Jeno’s used to, the one that gets him on the 8:30am bus to work, but the kind of early where the sky is still an inky blue-black colour and the air feels cold when he takes his arm out from under the duvet.

He’s awoken by the gentle feeling of someone tapping his shoulder, but makes a whining noise and rolls over to bury his face back into the pillow.

However, it’s not a pillow that his face comes into contact with, but something warm and solid. It gasps. Jeno blinks wearily, rolling back again.

“What…” He mumbles, rubbing his knuckles in his eyes roughly. They don’t open, though, and so he snuggles back under the duvet. 

“Jeno, it’s time to get up.” A soft voice speaks to him gently, a hand beginning to card its way through Jeno’s messy bed hair. “Come on, sleepyhead.”

“No… don’t wanna…” Jeno’s words are muffled by the pillow. 

“Come on, Jeno.” The voice repeats, still quiet and gentle. It feels like a hug, the sound of the words slipping under the duvet and caressing Jeno’s cheeks. He feels like he’d be in heaven if he could wake up to this voice everyday. It’s warm and kind and inviting and… Jeno cracks an eyelid open.

And it’s Donghyuck.

Even through blurry morning vision, without his glasses on, Jeno can recognise Donghyuck’s lovely curls. From where he’s sat on the bed he’s backlit by the moonlight coming in through the lacy curtains in the window. A sleepy passing thought lets Jeno know he looks like an angel, surrounded by the white glow of the moon and with the sparkle in his eye visible even in the dark.

“Oh. Hyuck…” Jeno mumbles, yawning. 

“Morning, Jeno.” Donghyuck smiles at him sweetly from where he lies on the other side of the bed. “Time to get up. You’re gonna see something beautiful today!”

 _I already have,_ Jeno thinks as he closes his eyes and starts steeling himself to leave the warm bed-nest he’s currently wrapped up in. Instantly mourning the loss of Donghyuck’s fingers in his hair, he feels the bed dip as Donghyuck moves away and hears him walk towards the wardrobe. He sits up, the duvet falling down, and he lets out a sharp breath as the cool air in the room hits him at once. _Fuck, that’s cold._

“Wrap up warm, okay?” Donghyuck whispers as if he can read Jeno’s mind.

Jeno nods and reaches for his glasses on the bedside table. He swings his heavy legs over the side of the bed and stands up slowly, wobbling over to where his suitcase has been left in the corner of the room. Even with his glasses on, Jeno has to blink a few times before his messy piles of clothes come into focus, but after a while he’s able to sort through and pull out a pair of jeans and a shirt.

Behind him, Donghyuck makes a noise of contempt. “Is that all you have?”

Jeno turns around and squints at Donghyuck. The Airbnb host is stood by his wardrobe, one hand holding onto the open door as he stares over at Jeno with a weird look. “Yes?” He replies, confused.

Donghyuck tuts. “That’s not going to be enough.” He decides aloud, and starts rooting through his wardrobe before pulling something out.

That something turns out to be the biggest, thickest jumper he owns, which he chucks in Jeno’s direction. Jeno regards it for a second before reaching out tentatively to pick it up. He melts inside—the material is probably the softest thing he’s ever touched, and as he slips it over his head it drowns his frame, instantly making him feel warm and cosy.

“Thanks, Hyuck.” Jeno looks over to Donghyuck and smiles, faltering only slightly when he finds the other already looking at him, an indiscernible look written all over his face.

“You’re… you’re welcome, Jeno.” Donghyuck mutters before shaking his head slightly and turning back to the wardrobe to pick out some warm clothes for himself.

Jeno decides not to question Donghyuck’s behaviour—it’s too early to try and read into anything—and stands up on shaky legs. “I’m just gonna go get ready.” He murmurs, and goes into the bathroom.

After they both get changed, they head out to where Johnny’s car is parked at the end of the dirt track. While Jeno does his seatbelt, Donghyuck switches the engine on and starts to carefully turn the car round. It’s a tight turning circle, but he manages.

Jeno, still weary and tired, leans his head against the window and gazes out into the night. He can’t see much until they get onto the main road, but once they’re there and speeding away from town, Jeno can see for miles. 

The road they’re taking—the main road that also runs through town—quickly escapes the clutches of the thick forest and begins to take them along the edge of the cliff top. There’s only a flimsy metal barrier between them and a dangerously high drop, but Jeno slumps in the passenger seat, unbothered. He’s more interested in the freckling of stars against the dark backdrop of the sky, and the way the moon sits high enough for its reflection to ripple on the still ocean. The water is like a millpond, a glittering mirror image of above.

Jeno sighs, his cheek squishing against the door.

Donghyuck chuckles. “You alright there?” He asks, his eyes never leaving the road. They start to drive uphill, the road moving away from the cliff edge. Jeno glances at him momentarily before his eyes drift back to the view, addicted to the night.

“‘M good.” He says quietly. “Just appreciating the view.”

“Oh yeah?”

Jeno nods, even though Donghyuck isn’t looking at him. “Yeah. It’s so… calming. And pretty. You don’t get stars like this in the city.”

Donghyuck hums and dips his headlights as a car roars past them. “I don’t know how you can live without seeing the stars like this every night.” 

“I suppose you can’t miss what you’ve never had.” Jeno replies, wondering if he stares out the window hard enough, he can imprint the image of the twinkling stars on the inside of his eyelids.

“That’s sad.”

“Is it?”

“We’re here.” Donghyuck says hurriedly, flicking on the indicator and taking a sharp right turn off the road. They drive along a bumpy track for a while—Jeno sits up when his cheek begins to jolt roughly against the car door—before they emerge into a large clearing. Silence reigns as Donghyuck switches the engine off and gets out.

Jeno follows suit. He stares around him, eyes wide in awe as he takes in where Donghyuck has brought him. They’re on the outskirts of the forest and the furthest point of the cove. The trees stop to make way for a viewing platform of sorts—the cliff juts out into the ocean, marking the end of the cove. From here he can appreciate the circular shape of the cove and the way the huge cliffs wrap themselves around the bay in a rocky hug. Below them is the few hundred metres width of water between the two cliffs that mark the gateway at the end of the bay and the beginning of the abundant ocean. Over his shoulder, looking back the way they came, Jeno can see the flickering lights of the town as it begins to wake.

Up here though, the grass is soft beneath his feet. In front of him is a ledge of sorts where Donghyuck is spreading a blanket on the ground. The sea in front of them goes on for miles, only to disappear under the horizon. Where the two meet, an orange haze is beginning to emerge.

Donghyuck beckons to him, so Jeno makes his way closer to the edge, feeling the way the dew on the untamed grass soaks through his canvas shoes. 

He falls back on the blanket next to Donghyuck, who offers him a flask. It’s hot chocolate, steaming and rich. Jeno takes a sip, holding onto it tightly with hands covered by the jumper sleeves, and hums contentedly at its warmth.

“The sunrise here is one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever witness.” Donghyuck says, leaning back on his left hand. 

Jeno smiles. Boldly, he reaches out and tangles his fingers with Donghyuck’s free hand, squeezing them lightly. “Thank you for bringing me here.” He whispers.

Donghyuck ducks his head. His long curly fringe hangs in his eyes, but it doesn’t hide the blush on his cheeks. He shrugs. “It’s one of my favourite things about living here. I wanted to show you at least once before you left.”

Jeno doesn’t know what to say to that, too caught up in the way that Donghyuck looks over at him with those wide eyes and the way his heart suddenly wants to leap its way out of his throat.

Luckily, Donghyuck doesn’t seem to mind, just grins and pushes Jeno’s cheek to make him look back out at the view. “You’re missing it, Jeno.”

He’s not wrong. Jeno drinks in the way the sky has turned a rich orange colour. The sun is peeking over the horizon, beginning its long climb to the highest point in the sky, and it burns against the calm sea. A brazen ball of flames, almost shaking, but still so captivating and beautiful. Jeno is enraptured, watching as the colours in the sky mutate from red to orange to pure fire. It’s incredible. As it rises, he begins to feel the heat on his cheeks, and he once again finds his gaze sliding over to Donghyuck.

Lee Donghyuck, the man who embodies the sun, is _striking_.

Jeno wonders why he’s been watching the sunrise when he could have been watching the way Donghyuck’s skin seems to come alive. If he glitters during the day, he’s _glowing_ now, with the hot orange of the first morning sun kissing his skin with a passion like no other. Donghyuck’s chest rises and falls steadily as he breathes in the slowly warming air: he’s the epitome of serene, peaceful beauty. His fingers wiggle with joy where they’re still caught in Jeno’s hold, and as Jeno unconsciously rubs his thumb over the back of the other man’s hand, Donghyuck turns to glance at him.

His expression turns bashful as he catches Jeno already staring. “You’re missing the sunrise, Jeno…” He repeats, voice trailing off as he notices the intensity in Jeno’s expression.

 _But you’re more beautiful than the sun could ever dream of being,_ Jeno thinks.

_Kiss him._

He doesn’t miss the way Donghyuck’s eyes flicker to his lips. With their proximity, and the heat of the rising sun on their faces turning up the intensity, Jeno feels compelled to close the gap between them. It would be perfect. Out here, alone as the birds sing their dawn chorus, the magnetic force that pulls him to Donghyuck is no longer deniable. And he knows now that it’s reciprocated to some extent—he just doesn’t know how much. Only that Donghyuck think he’s pretty. It’s that fleeting thought that makes him falter.

Even if… even if he only gets one kiss. _It would be nice_ , he thinks again, just as he thought on the bus and so many times since.

But he hesitated for too long. Before he can lean closer and learn what Donghyuck’s lips feel like, the Airbnb host is pulling away. He disentangles their fingers as he does so. The moment is gone in an instant; Jeno blinks, disappointed.

There’s something in the air now, a different kind of tension, and Jeno doesn’t like the feeling. Nor does he like the way his hand feels emptier without Donghyuck’s in it.

They stay there for an hour or so more. Once dawn turns to daytime, they both head back to the car. The journey back to the house is spent in dreadful silence; Jeno spends it deep in thought, trying to ignore the way Donghyuck attractively drives with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gear stick. 

☼

Unconsciously, they both make the decision to ignore whatever happened that morning. Jeno feels a little deflated, but when Donghyuck links arms with him amicably as they walk into town to get dinner that evening his spirits begin to rise again.

He might not have got the kiss he seems to want more and more every day, but perhaps he can settle for this.

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pushes their faces together] damn it just KISS ALREADY


	6. six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny and Taeyong take Jeno and Donghyuck on a raunchy day out.

On Thursday morning, Jeno wakes late. The other side of the bed is already empty when he sits up. Knuckling his eyes against the brightness of the sun streaming in, he heaves himself out of bed and straight into the shower. He dresses quickly and heads downstairs. 

Through the kitchen window, he spies Donghyuck sat on the patio outside with his mother. His straw hat is pulled firmly down over his curls, and he wears a flamboyant shirt and has bare feet. Johnny and Taeyong are there too. Jeno takes his time as he makes himself some toast, whistling to himself and grinning as Sun joins in from his cage.

It’s midday.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Jeno decides to spend a little more time alone, and eats his toast sat at the breakfast bar. He shoots Jaemin a text and uploads a couple of photos to his Instagram account. Just as he finishes rinsing his plate in the sink, he hears someone enter the house.

Jeno turns to find Johnny leaning against the doorway. He’s wearing a loose fitting t-shirt, jeans, and a lazy smirk on his face. As he greets Jeno and moves to lean against the counter instead, his long, untied hair falls around his face.

“How’s things, Jeno?” Johnny asks, twisting over his shoulder to poke some seeds through the bars of Sun’s cage. The colourful bird rewards his gift with a happy chirp.

Jeno shrugs and fills a glass with water from the tap. “Things are good.”

“How’s my brother?” Johnny continues.

Jeno eyes him suspiciously over the top of his glass. “Donghyuck is fine. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason.” Johnny shakes his head, feigning innocence. “Just showing some good brotherly interest in Hyuckie’s relationships.”

“Right.”

“You seem to be getting on well.”

Jeno tips the last of his water into his mouth. “We’re good friends.”

“Friends.” Johnny’s eyes sparkle devilishly. “Is that what you think? Wait, no, let me rephrase. Is that what you want?”

Jeno starts to feel slightly like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Johnny’s sharp gaze is piercing and Jeno feels as though he can hide nothing. “Yes.” He says cautiously, and by the way Johnny barks in laughter it seems that he’s right. Johnny can either see right through him, or knows something Jeno doesn’t.

“Alright. I’ll stop questioning you about my brother now.” Johnny grins. “Do you have any plans for today?” He reaches over and grabs an apple from the fruit bowl.

Jeno shakes his head. “Hyuck has been making the plans all week, remember?”

Johnny raises his eyebrows as he takes a bite of his apple. “Of course, of course. Have you…” He considers his words for a second, and there’s a glint in his eye as he continues. “Have you ever heard of the Loveland Museum?”

Jeno frowns. “I don’t think so?”

Johnny swallows a mouthful of apple. “You should ask Hyuck to take you. It’s a lovely day out.”

Jeno squints at the older man, trying to figure out if he has any ulterior motives with his suggestion. But Johnny’s face is the picture of innocence now, open and smiling, and Jeno sees no reason not to take him up on the idea. Museums are always fun. “I don’t see why not.” He muses aloud, and Johnny claps ecstatically. 

“Brilliant. You won’t regret it, I promise.” Johnny reassures him, just as Taeyong wanders into the kitchen. His grey hair is fluffy today, hanging in his eyes, and although he’s still heavily decked out in silver jewellery he manages to look somewhat soft. 

“Hey, love.” Johnny greets him, extending an arm out as his fiancé walks towards him. Taeyong cuddles into his side, hand coming to sit on Johnny’s chest as he rests his head on Johnny’s broad shoulder. Jeno watches wistfully as Johnny wraps an arm around Taeyong’s slight frame and presses his lips to the crown of his fiancé’s head.

“Don’t tell me you’re tormenting our poor guest.” Taeyong slaps Johnny’s chest playfully.

Johnny gasps. “I would never.”

Jeno snorts, and the moment is gone. He pushes the foreign feeling of longing from his chest, forcing his eyes away from the couple. “I’m going outside.” He announces.

“Alright.” Johnny grins. Jeno ignores the wink Donghyuck’s brother throws him, and instead returns Taeyong’s cute wave before stalking out of the kitchen. He hears Taeyong giggle as he heads towards the front door.

Donghyuck’s smile when he spots Jeno making his way up onto the patio is blinding, but it falters as soon as he sees Johnny and Taeyong following with grins on their faces. “Oh, no.” He starts as his mother gets up and excuses herself. “What did you say to him?”

Johnny shrugs. “We were simply discussing your plans for the day, little brother.” He stands behind Donghyuck, plucking the straw hat from Donghyuck’s head as he wraps his arms around his brother’s neck and rests his chin on his head in an uncomfortable hug.

Donghyuck whines, wriggling around in Johnny’s hold. “I told you not to call me that.”

Johnny responds by squeezing him, rocking them from side to side slightly. “I suggested we go to the Loveland Museum. Us four, a family day out.” He glances over at Jeno as he says the word _family_ ; Jeno startles and refuses to make eye contact. “What do you say?”

Donghyuck protests, but when Johnny leans down and whispers into his ear he stops almost immediately. Jeno can’t help but wonder what words were exchanged to quieten Donghyuck that quickly. 

“Alright, fine.” Donghyuck agrees, but it’s through gritted teeth. “But only if you drive.” The condition is coupled with a sharp elbow to Johnny’s stomach, making the older man release his arms from around Donghyuck’s shoulders.

“Awesome.” Johnny cheers. “It’s a date.”

☼

The car journey passes quickly. Johnny drives and Taeyong rides shotgun, with Jeno stuck in the back with one of Donghyuck’s legs thrown over his lap. The Airbnb host slouches against the door. Jeno rests his right hand on Donghyuck’s shin tentatively, lets the conversation become background noise and watches the countryside fly by through the window in a green blur.

When they arrive at the museum, Donghyuck pulls a lollipop from his pocket and opens it. Jeno rubs the sleep from his eyes and nurses the sore spot on his head from where he fell asleep against the window.

Johnny and Taeyong walk ahead and go to buy their museum tickets. Donghyuck latches onto Jeno’s arm just as they follow behind; Jeno eyes the building warily as he begins to get an inkling of where they are.

“Donghyuck, is this…” His voice trails off as they come face to face with a large bronze sculpture at the entrance. Jeno’s cheeks flush as he takes it in.

Donghyuck hums, taking the lollipop out of his mouth with a _pop_. “It’s a woman pleasuring herself, yes.”

Jeno shoves him lightly. “Don’t make this weird.” He stutters, feeling his body temperature go through the roof as he lets his eyes linger on the sculpture. It’s certainly bold. Jeno wonders if all the displays in the museum are going to be so explicit.

“You asked!” Donghyuck retorts. But before Jeno can make a snarky comeback of his own, Johnny and Taeyong are hollering at them from the entrance to the gallery, waving the tickets eagerly.

“Ready to go in, guys?” Taeyong asks as they approach. He’s cuddled against Johnny’s side; as they turn to lead the way in, Jeno notices the way that Johnny slips his hand into the back pocket of Taeyong’s jeans and squeezes lightly. Out of reflex, he glances at Donghyuck, and is amused to find him grimacing in disgust at his older brother.

“Come on, Hyuck.” Now Jeno is the one grabbing onto Donghyuck’s arm; he drags him into the building after the other two. 

Jeno peers round the archway that leads into the main hall of the gallery. It’s a huge room, with a high ceiling and large windows letting the space be flooded with natural light. There’s a few people milling around, some in couples and groups and some alone. In glass cabinets and on display podiums lining the hall are various objects—Jeno pushes his glasses up his nose as if that will help him to see them more clearly—that all seem to be of the same… sexual nature as the sculpture outside.

“Let’s go outside!” Taeyong beckons to them from where he stands with one hand on the door handle excitedly. Johnny is stood by his side, studying a flamboyant dildo intensely.

As Jeno and Donghyuck catch up again, Johnny turns to them, one hand stroking his chin in thought. “How do people use dildos that big?” He asks. His expression is serious as he reaches out to line his forearm up with it, fingers closed in a fist. “Look, it’s like the size of my entire arm.”

Donghyuck snorts as Taeyong says “Clearly you’re not a size queen, darling.”

Johnny raises his eyebrows and shakes his head. “Thank God for that, honestly. That’s not going anywhere near my ass till it shrinks a bit, thanks.”

Donghyuck whines and barrels into Johnny, shoving him out the door. When he removes his face from Johnny’s back, his forehead to the collar of his shirt is a flushed, embarrassed red colour. “Do you ever shut up?” He cries. Johnny laughs loudly.

“Oh, Hyuckie. This is only the beginning.”

☼

Jeno quickly realises that Johnny was right. It was only the beginning: as they make their way round the park—slowly, mind you, so Johnny and Taeyong can study each and every exhibit in unnecessary detail—the sculptures go from being rather mild to more and more risqué.

He finds that the park is rather pretty though. The sculptures are dotted around a large, open space. Rich and full of green, the trees and plants blossom beautifully and there’s a huge, sprawling lake in the centre of it. The sun reflects on the water, glittering. In the middle is an elegant white stone sculpture of legs from the waist up, entangled together intimately.

For the most part, Jeno and Donghyuck are happy to just follow Johnny and Taeyong. They seem to know what they’re doing, and for all the inappropriate jokes the couple crack, they’re well informed about the art graduates who created each and every statue decorating the Loveland grounds.

The sight of each and every suggestively intimate statue becomes less shocking after a while, and gradually Jeno begins to be able to enjoy looking at them and not turn into a flustered puddle of goo every time he remembers it’s _Donghyuck_ that’s pressed up against his side and not Jaemin.

At some point, Donghyuck slips his hand silently into Jeno’s to link their fingers loosely. He swings their joined hands between them, his right hand twirling the lollipop stick in his mouth.

Jeno giggles as he spots a sign next to a small road leading up to a small area slightly secluded by trees. It depicts two people having sex in a car, appropriately captioned _mmm~._

He squints up the incline and spots another exhibit. “Hey, is that a car?”

They go closer, and Johnny seems highly amused by the way the car actually moves on the spot, as if there were people actually inside going at it. “Yong, Taeyongie, look! I _told_ you car sex was a valid idea! I can’t believe you said no!” He crows.

Taeyong punches him in the shoulder, eyes glued to the bouncing car. “And my answer is still no.” He glares when Johnny opens his mouth to protest. “I don’t care if we both could fit! It’s too messy and uncomfortable.”

Johnny coos at that, pulling Taeyong closer. “Aw, Taeyongie likes to be comfortable and pampered, does he?”

Taeyong sniffs and wanders off, extracting himself from Johnny’s hold. Jeno watches as Johnny hurries after him, still trying to convince his fiancé that having sex in a car is a beautiful experience that they need to check off on their spicy bucket list.

Once the couple are out of earshot, Donghyuck groans loudly. “Strike one.” He threatens as his whole body seems to shudder a little.

“I can’t believe I’m learning so much about your brother today.” Jeno muses as they begin to head towards the bickering couple. “It’s like zero to a hundred. I don’t even know what his favourite food is and now I know he has a spicy bucket list? Wow.” Jeno shakes his head in incredulous amazement.

Donghyuck whines again. “They’re both annoyingly comfortable and open about their sex lives.” He mutters, and Jeno begins to catch onto the fact that Donghyuck is long-suffering because of that exact reason.

“I’m guessing you’re not, then?”

“Not exactly,” Donghyuck corrects. “I’m not uncomfortable with the topic of sex. I just prefer to be a little more private about it, you know? Like it should be a special, intimate thing, and I think that your or my experiences shouldn’t be broadcast to the world, I guess. Like just keep it quiet instead.” Donghyuck pauses and scratches his neck. “Johnny disagrees, to an extent. They’re both very sexually ambiguous.”

“Oh well.” Jeno squeezes Donghyuck’s hand. “You can just sock him every time he brings it up.”

Donghyuck laughs at that, thankfully. “Oh, I do.”

They once again catch up with Johnny and Taeyong as the pair approach a particularly acrobatic sculpture: Jeno tilts his head as he realises the woman is stood on her hands and leaning against the man as they get it on. He wonders briefly how uncomfortable that is for the female.

“Taeyong, oh my God, look at this one.” Johnny drags Taeyong over to it.

Taeyong giggles. “You should take a picture so we can recreate it later.” He squeezes Johnny’s waist as Johnny pulls his phone out of his pocket, and Jeno’s mouth falls open in shock as he realises they’re serious. They actually want to try the painful handstand sex position that makes Jeno’s muscles ache just looking at it. Donghyuck’s hand tenses within Jeno’s hold; he looks over to him to find Donghyuck’s lips pressed into a thin line of distaste.

Taeyong studies it. “You can be the girl, though.” He points at how the female is stood on her hands and Johnny hums. “I don’t have enough strength in my arms for that.”

Donghyuck exhales quickly. “Right! That’s it. Come on Jeno. We’re leaving. Neither you nor I need to be subjected to this any longer.” He announces, and Jeno makes a noise of surprise as Donghyuck drags him away by the hand.

As they make a hasty exit, Johnny calls after them. In his defence, he does sound a little apologetic. “No, Hyuckie, wait!”

Jeno doesn’t hear what Taeyong murmurs in Johnny’s ear, but finds he doesn’t really want to know either.

They run until Johnny and Taeyong are out of sight. Jeno slows down, out of breath; once his breathing has returned to normal he takes in where they’ve found themselves. 

Ahead of them, the path curves round the corner, disappearing behind the rows of trees that run alongside the path itself. Three sculptures stand at intervals, pink and white figures performing what Jeno deems as being gravity defying sex positions. 

Next to the first one, a couple is stood. Jeno chuckles as he sees one of them stood on their hands, trying to demonstrate the position to their partner, and failing.

Jeno watches them for a while, enjoying the way one of them has his legs flailing in the air, and then they turn so he can see more of their faces and he instantly realises he _knows_ them.

It takes him a few seconds to remember their names, but then it clicks. It’s the couple from the plane—Ten and Kun.

And it seems they recognise him too.

Kun does a double take as he spots Jeno, and then starts waving. Jeno turns to Donghyuck. “Let me introduce you to these guys.” He murmurs, ignoring Donghyuck’s confused noises as he drags him over to the couple.

“Jeno, right?” Kun greets him with a quick bro hug, and Ten flips back upright and brushes the dirt off his hands before wrapping Jeno in a friendly hug. “I didn’t expect to see you again!”

“Me neither!” Jeno exclaims. “Oh! This is Donghyuck. Hyuck, this is Ten and Kun, the guys I sat next to on the plane here.”

Understanding dawns on Donghyuck’s face as he greets them politely. “Can I ask what you were doing just now?” Donghyuck questions, gesturing to the pink and white sculpture that Ten was trying to impersonate minutes prior.

“Hm? Oh. I was trying to figure out whether it was possible to do without lying down.” Ten explains, as if that does anything to make Jeno less baffled or amused by it.

“What… what even is it?” Donghyuck’s brow is furrowed as he examines it.

“I believe the position is known as ‘69’.” Kun explains, just as Ten blurts out “Simultaneous dick sucking.”

Kun elbows Ten in the ribs as Ten dissolves into giggles. “Ten is not the most elegant with his language.” Kun apologises, shaking his head fondly at his husband.

“It can’t be simultaneous dick sucking though when the pink person is a woman.” Donghyuck points out, but Ten waves him off.

“Semantics.”

Donghyuck shrugs. “Valid.”

“So,” Kun interjects loudly and pointedly. “What brings you guys here?”

“Oh, it was Donghyuck’s brother’s idea.” Jeno answers, feeling Donghyuck link their pinkies together. “We left him and his fiancé somewhere back there.” He gestures over his shoulder.

“Understandable. You guys probably wanted some alone time, right?” Ten asks, eyeing their linked fingers. “This place is supposed to be very good for couples.”

If he notices the way Donghyuck retracts his fingers from Jeno’s hand at that point, Ten doesn’t say anything. Jeno stares hard at the space just above Ten’s shoulder.

“That’s why we’re here, anyway.” Kun carries on, smoothing over the stilted pause in conversation seamlessly. “Back in the day when this place first opened, it was popular amongst newlyweds. The hotel here used to hold professional ice breakers for people in arranged marriages, and they used to have entertainment that had some particularly saucy elements.” Kun explains. Jeno nods along, genuinely interested. It’s obvious (and impressive) that Kun is the type to research heavily before going anywhere.

“It was supposed to help them relax.” Ten continues, draping himself over Kun’s shoulders and pressing a tiny kiss to the side of his neck. “And Kun definitely needs that. Especially if he wants to be married to _me_ forever.”

Kun rolls his eyes, clearly long suffering. “I did promise you that, didn’t I?” He chuckles, turning his head to this side to press a slow kiss to Ten’s waiting lips.

Jeno traces patterns in the dirt with the toe of his shoe.

“Anyway, we better let you guys get on.” Kun says with a smile. “It was good to see you again, Jeno! And to meet you, Donghyuck. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Jeju.”

Jeno returns the polite farewell and hugs the both of them, laughing along with them when Ten says he wonders if they’ll meet again on the flight home.

They part ways amicably. Jeno and Donghyuck continue their way round the park, enjoying admiring the sculptures in a comfortable silence. After a while, Jeno summons the courage to link their elbows together, and silently celebrates when Donghyuck bumps their hips together. 

It’s mid afternoon by the time they meet up with Johnny and Taeyong by the lake again. Jeno is beginning to feel tired; spending the day staring at sexy statues was beginning to get under his skin. He thinks it’s impossible to look at them and not get even a little heated. It never aroused him more than a faint coil of heat in his lower abdomen though, and so he managed. He feels like he could do with a cold shower anyway to rid him of the feeling completely, though. Being turned on by _statues_ seems kind of weird. Jeno tries to justify it by the fact that he hasn’t got laid in months, but even then, it feels like an uncomfortable second skin.

“Guys, guys!” Johnny is, as he has been all day, excited about something when they all regroup. “I found a perfect spot for a picture. We absolutely can’t leave until we have one of the four of us.”

Warily, they follow as Taeyong and Johnny lead the way towards a vibrant blue penis sculpture. It’s horizontal, with the tip curled up into the air. A pink woman is sat atop it, straddling it like a horse, and suddenly it dawns on Jeno what kind of picture Johnny wants to take.

Taeyong is already making his way over to the penis seat as Johnny asks the nearest person to take their photo. Jeno finds that the apples of Donghyuck’s cheeks are just as pink as his own. They shake their heads at each other in disbelief, but follow Taeyong anyway, deciding to indulge the couple. Jeno clambers onto the sculpture carefully, sitting on the end and leaving room for Johnny to slip in behind Taeyong and for Donghyuck to sit behind his brother.

He can feel the eyes of everyone here looking at them, but as Donghyuck grabs his arms and pulls them to encourage Jeno to wrap them around Donghyuck’s slim waist he finds he couldn’t care less.

They all smile, and the camera flashes. Johnny hurries to grab the phone back and guffaws at the photo. It is pretty funny, Jeno has to admit: they’re all sat proudly on a blue dick bigger than all four of them combined. “Send that to me.” Donghyuck demands as they make their way back to the car.

“Want me to send it to you as well, Jen?” Donghyuck offers once they’re pulling slowly out of the car park. 

Jeno nods. “Oh my God, please. I’ve gotta send it to Jaemin.”

Donghyuck cracks up. “Oh my God. He’ll love it.”

Jeno forwards it to Jaemin with no caption or explanation as soon as Donghyuck’s message comes into his inbox. He switches his phone off and stares out the window with a quiet chuckle, eagerly awaiting Jaemin’s response.

☼

It comes an hour later, understandably confused but also absolutely delighted. Before Jeno can reply, it’s quickly followed by a cropped version of the photo that just has Jeno and Donghyuck in it, accompanied by a series of suggestive emojis.

Jeno snorts and sends nothing but the middle finger emoji back.

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #JOHNNY: do you ship it? cause I ship it


	7. seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeno goes to Donghyuck's open mic night and has an epiphany.

It’s still light when Jeno and Donghyuck cycle into town that evening a few hours after they return from the museum. They chain the bikes up by the cliff edge and make their way down the steps onto the beach. Down here in the cove the temperature drops massively, and a cool breeze sends shivers rippling over Jeno’s skin. Donghyuck notices, and rubs his warmer hand over Jeno’s arm before linking their elbows.

Unlike during the day, the beach is almost empty now, save for a few people lounging around on the sand with bottles of various kinds of alcohol. As they stroll along the boardwalk, the music emanating from the bar gets louder and the rumble of chatter can be made out just below it. Donghyuck turns to Jeno with an excited grin.

“You ready for this?” He asks as they come to a pause outside the bar. The front section is outdoor seating that the cafe uses during the day, with a roof over to shelter it from the sun. There’s fairy lights strung around and huge plants tucked in the corners. It’s got a homely vibe, despite the already tipsy crowd that take up the tables. Attached to the roof are heaters for when it gets really cold and Jeno also spots some coloured strobe lights. He wonders briefly if they’ll be switched on for Donghyuck’s set.

Because that’s what they’re here for. Donghyuck has a regular performance slot at the bar and rather than cancel it, he decided he’d just drag Jeno along as well.

Staring at the crowd slightly warily, Jeno turns to Donghyuck and nods. “I’m ready.”

With that, Donghyuck smiles impossibly wider, happiness reaching his eyes, and drags him deep into the bar. They weave through the crammed tables and enter the building itself. Almost immediately Jeno breaks out in a sweat, surprised at how the heat is amplified in this small space.

Along the left wall is the bar; Jeno can make out Jaehyun behind it, pulling a pint expertly from the tap. He’s still dressed in his beach attire—a vest top and shorts—but it’s accompanied by a rosy glow on his cheeks and his classic dimpled smile. It’s a good look, one that Jeno knows Jaemin would highly appreciate, so he snaps a quick grainy picture of the bartender on Snapchat and sends it straight to his best friend with an amused scoff.

In the far right corner is a stage, light up by magenta floodlights. There’s a mic stand already set up and waiting for Donghyuck to take his place behind it. Adorning the walls are various pieces of what looks like local artwork: beautiful paintings of the idyllic scenery that surrounds this seaside town. The wooden aesthetic makes it feel warm and closed in—kind of homely—but through the open door Jeno can still feel a brisk chill coming in off the beach and disappearing down the back of his shirt. He shudders.

Jeno’s so caught up in taking everything in that he doesn’t realise Donghyuck has dragged him over to the bar until he’s shoved onto a bar stool. He shifts himself onto it properly, wobbling only slightly, and then looks up straight into Johnny’s smiling face.

“Oh!”

“Hey, Jeno.” Johnny says, and from his other side Taeyong leans forward to greet Jeno with a small wave and a smile that lights up his eyes.

“I didn’t expect to see you guys here.” Jeno says shyly. He tries to subtly search for Donghyuck, who seems to have disappeared from his side, and feels his chest tighten when he finds Donghyuck at the far end of the bar talking with Jaehyun.

Johnny shrugs and starts to tie his hair up in a ponytail. “We always come and support Hyuckie when he performs. He likes having us here.”

“That’s nice of you.” Jeno hums. 

Johnny eyes him before grabbing the attention of the other bartender, who leans against the back counter attractively while cleaning glasses. As he catches sight of Johnny, he grins at them, puts the glass and cloth down and heads over.

“Hey, Johnny, Taeyong, what can I get you?” His voice is deep enough for Jeno to feel it rumble in his chest as the bartender talks loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

Johnny waves him off. “Nah, it’s for Jeno. Jeno, what do you want? It’s on me.”

Jeno rests his elbows on the bar and leans forward to get a closer look at the drinks available. “Hmmm… Do you guys do cocktails?” He asks, realising as he scans the rows of bottles that he’s in the mood for something sweet.

The bartender nods. “Yeah, we do.” He reaches over and grabs a menu from the end of the bar and tosses it to Jeno. “There’s a list on the back page.”

Jeno turns the menu over and scours it, brow furrowed. He recognises most of them, but there’s some that he’s never heard of before that make his lip curl in distaste. Eventually, he decides to stick with what he knows. The classic. “Just a Sex on the Beach, please.” Jeno requests politely, passing the menu back into the bartender’s waiting hand.

Johnny pays just as someone drapes themselves over Jeno’s shoulders. He hunches in on himself in shock until he looks to the side and relaxes when he sees Donghyuck’s big, beautiful eyes blinking at him slowly. The Airbnb host presses his cheek further against Jeno’s shoulder and giggles.

“Sex on the beach? That’s pretty steamy, Jen.” Donghyuck runs a finger down the nape of Jeno’s neck from his hairline to his collar.

Next to him, Johnny snorts in amusement.

Jeno wonders if the warm lighting in the room masks the blush on his cheeks. He doubts it does, if the way Donghyuck’s eyes disappear into crescents with silent laughter is anything to go by.

“Shut up, Donghyuck.” Jeno murmurs, and thanks the bartender as he places the cocktail on the bar mat in front of him. It’s a beautiful peachy colour; a smooth gradient from firetruck red to gentle orange, crowned by a cherry and a thick slice of orange balanced on the edge of the glass. Giggling again, Donghyuck plucks the tiny orange umbrella out of the glass almost as soon as the bartender drops it in. 

Jeno takes a sip through the straw and hums in satisfaction as the cool drink begins to combat the heat in the room.

“Can I try?” Donghyuck murmurs, pressing closer against Jeno’s back to try and lean forward and reach the straw. Jeno angles the glass closer to Donghyuck and allows him to taste it.

“It’s good, right?” He says as Donghyuck savours the mouthful, eyes widening in shock as the sharpness of the cranberry and orange melts over his tongue. 

He nods. “It’s delicious.” Donghyuck leans forward, silently asking for another sip.

Jeno takes some first before offering the straw straight to Donghyuck. As Donghyuck drinks more than could be considered polite when drinking from someone else’s glass, Jeno meets Johnny’s gaze. Donghyuck’s older brother smirks, eyes sparkling as he glances between Jeno and Donghyuck, and makes a kissy face at them. 

Jeno splutters. Luckily, Johnny’s gesture goes unnoticed by Donghyuck, who steps back and rubs circles soothingly on Jeno’s back as he coughs.

“My set is on in a couple minutes.” Donghyuck announces. “Mark and Renjun have a table at the front. You should join them.” He sends a wink to Jeno, punches his brother in the arm and skips off into the throng of people gathered around the room. A few cheers ring out as he makes his way through the crowd and climbs up onto the stage.

Johnny gets off his stool and stretches. “Come on, we should probably go and find Mark and Injun before Hyuckie’s set starts. He’ll have my head if we’re not front row. Especially you.” He elbows Jeno in the ribs as he downs the last dregs of his pint, eyeing Jeno over the rim. “Yukhei, could I get another please?”

_So that’s Yukhei,_ Jeno realises as the bartender who made his cocktail begins to pour another pint. He chooses to ignore Johnny’s pointed look. Suddenly Renjun’s inferiority complex begins to make a little more sense. It’s hard _not_ to feel a little less worthy in front of such tall, well-built, attractive man. This hot-people-only-neighbourhood thing is beginning to get a little out of hand.

Jeno looks away, closing his gaping mouth before he actually starts drooling. He finds his gaze drawn to Donghyuck. The Airbnb host is making earnest conversation with the people sat at the table closest to the stage; on closer inspection, Jeno finds it’s Mark and Renjun.

Leaving Johnny and Taeyong behind, Jeno makes his way over to them. Renjun shoots him a smile as he places his drink on the table and pulls up a chair. Johnny and Taeyong appear not long after, managing to fight their way through the crowd that seems to be slowly surging forwards. Yukhei follows with a tray of drinks; as he places it down on the table, passing the right alcohol to the right person, Jeno notices how Mark is smiling softly up at him.

As the lights start to dim and soft music begins to play through the speakers propped up at the edges of the stage, Yukhei leans down and takes Mark’s chin between his thumb and forefinger, before tilting Mark’s face upwards to press a chaste kiss to his lips. Mark’s eyes slide closed for a second; when he blinks them open again, slightly dazed, Yukhei has already been swallowed back up by the crowd.

_So they’re together now,_ Jeno muses. _That was quick._ It was barely three days ago that he and Donghyuck were in the ice cream parlour with Renjun, listening to his heart-wrenching woes about his crushes. Jeno sneaks a sideways look at Renjun, heart dropping when he finds him staring resolutely at the glass in front of him, fingers picking at a hangnail. Mark must notice too, as he reaches out and draws one of Renjun’s hands away with a squeeze. 

As he looks away, not wanting to intrude on their moment, Jeno finds himself once again admiring Donghyuck and he wonders briefly if he knows Mark and Yukhei have a thing going on for real now.

Up on stage, a purple spotlight kisses Donghyuck’s skin as he looks up, mic gripped in his hand. He looks so, so lovely. There’s something in his eyes that tells Jeno he’s completely in his element, consumed by an intense passion for whatever is going to happen next.

When the music hits a certain note, Donghyuck opens his mouth and begins to sing.

It’s like nothing Jeno has ever heard before.

Jeno feels his whole body go rigid as he stares at Donghyuck, enraptured by his performance. Donghyuck’s eyes have closed, and his hips sway slowly to the beat, totally consumed by the music flowing through his veins. The song is somewhere between sad and sexy, not a tune that Jeno recognises but Donghyuck makes him love it instantly. His voice is pure heat, igniting a fire in Jeno’s chest as it burns like a roaring orange sky at sunset. He crosses the horizon line as he sings the lower notes, the colour turning blue and deep like the ocean as though his voice wields a brush that paints the rainbow.

Jeno is in love.

_Wait, what?_

Jeno blinks for a second, pulling himself out of the spell Donghyuck put him under, and revisits that thought.

_In love?_

No, he can’t be. This isn’t love. This is… Jeno feels his heart thumping against his ribcage as the bass of the music rises and Donghyuck’s voice sensually winds its way up to the climax of the song.

He thinks back over the past few days he’s spent getting to know Donghyuck. There’s something about the proximity an Airbnb brings that really forces you to learn the language of another person. When he thinks about it, Jeno never really stood a chance.

Jeno thinks about the loud moments, where Donghyuck’s sunny personality is larger than life. When he infects Jeno with so much in-the-moment joy that he feels as though his cheeks will fall off from smiling too much. But he also thinks about the quiet moments: the ones that are more personal, more—dare he say it— _intimate_. When he and Donghyuck collapse on the sofa together at the end of the day and watch a movie, Donghyuck’s head making itself at home on Jeno’s shoulder, or the way absent-minded fingers find their way into the other man’s hair. The way Donghyuck is like a baby koala at night, and the way that Jeno kind of never wants him to let go.

One more look at Donghyuck’s ethereal existence up on that stage is enough for Jeno to know. Maybe it’s not love—not now, not yet, but it’s something. 

He doesn’t just want a kiss, he realises. Jeno wants _more._

It took him three days to feel completely relaxed and detached from work while being in Donghyuck’s company. No one has ever been such a blissfully carefree oasis for him like that; it’s like a treasure that now he has it, Jeno isn’t sure he wants to ever let it go.

Too caught up in the whirlwind of his own thoughts and the magnitude of the feelings and emotions he seems to have just unleashed, Jeno doesn’t realise Donghyuck’s finished his first song until Renjun elbows him in the stomach and the sound of the crowd cheering wildly suddenly filters into his brain.

Renjun raises an eyebrow at him questioningly, but Jeno looks away and blames the heat in his cheeks on the number of people crammed into the room. 

Donghyuck’s eyes are flitting over the crowd, eagerly drinking in the response, but he seems to be searching for something. It’s clear when he finds what he’s looking for; as he locks eyes with Jeno, his expression turns apprehensive yet hopeful. At once Jeno shoots him a reassuring thumbs up, eyes crinkling in pride, and the smile that breaks out on Donghyuck’s face in return is devastatingly beautiful. Jeno feels as though his heart is about to break right out of his chest.

Eyes never leaving Jeno’s, Donghyuck leans closer to the mic again. “Hey, everyone. How’s everyone’s evening?” His voice is low and throaty, rumbling out through the speakers and vibrating through the floor.

The crowd whoops in response.

“There’s gonna be a short break before the next song. I know, I know, I’m sorry!” He holds his hands up and offers an apologetic smile as the audience boos. “It’s for good reason, I promise! I’ll be back in a couple seconds to perform some new songs for you guys! Fill your glass and I’ll be back before you know I’m even gone!” 

With a quick wink to the audience, Donghyuck steps down off the stage and disappears through a door at the side.

Mark leans forward and gestures his thumb over his shoulder towards the bar. “I’m gonna head to the bar. You guys want anything?”

Jeno, still nursing his cocktail, declines Mark’s offer. Renjun asks for a glass of lime cordial and soda water and Johnny asks for more beer. As soon as Mark is out of earshot, Jeno slyly leans sideways towards Renjun.

“You know,” He starts conversationally. “You should ask them out.”

Renjun face scrunches up into disbelief and he shoves Jeno. “Shut up.”

“I’m serious!” Jeno protests. As the volume of his voice raises slightly, Johnny and Taeyong subtly begin to tune into the not-so-low-key conversation. “I, uh… I don’t know if it’s my place to say, or if we’re close enough for this, but I do really think you should confess to them. To both of them. To Mark and Yukhei.” By the end of the sentence, Jeno’s nerves have him rambling as Renjun’s unreadable stare bores into him.

For a tense, elongated pause, Renjun simply stares frostily at Jeno. Then his shoulders sag and his bottom lip juts out in a slight pout. “They’re only interested in each other. Not me. They have each other now, they—they don’t need me.”

Renjun folds his arms and stares at the stage. From where he sits angled sideways, Jeno can turn his head to the left and see straight to where Mark is stood at the bar with Yukhei. He softens when he sees the way that they’re not wrapped up in each other; instead, they’re staring at the back of Renjun’s head with a forlorn, wistful look on their faces.

Jeno presses his lips together and rearranges his position so he can get more comfortable in his chair. “I think you should go for it anyway. There’s still a chance.”

Renjun scoffs loudly. 

“You know Donghyuck would agree.” Jeno says, lowering his head to reach the straw and take a long, pointed sip of his cocktail.

“I’ll do you a deal.” Renjun says, leaning his elbow on the table and pointing at Jeno. “I’ll ask them out if you tell Donghyuck you like him.”

Jeno splutters, spitting some of his drink onto the table. “What? What, no—confess? What? Why would I do that?”

Despite admitting it to himself, it’s still apparently too early for Jeno to voice his true feelings out loud. He needs to ponder them some more; he needs to be more sure of what he wants.

Johnny and Taeyong chuckle to themselves behind their hands. Renjun rolls his eyes. “Yeah, alright. Whatever you say, Jeno.”

Luckily, before Johnny can interject with whatever gem of intellectual prowess he’s about to dump on Jeno, Donghyuck skips back up on stage and grabs the attention of the crowd with the first beat of a more upbeat, party song. Mark slots back into his chair, throwing an arm along the back of Renjun’s seat, and their attention becomes fully focused on Donghyuck’s performance.

Donghyuck runs through a few songs, a few crowd favourites. His voice lends itself to each one like it was made for it. He moves to the beat, losing himself in the performance, looking blissfully happy as he sings for the crowd. 

Then, as his set comes to a close, Donghyuck drags a stool up to the mic stand and sits down. The music segues into something slower, smoother beat. The crowd quietens in an instant. Johnny rises from the table, offers his hand to Taeyong, and they begin to slow dance together. Taeyong tucks his face into Johnny’s shoulder.

All around the room, couples and friends begin to sway in time to the slower song. Jeno pretends not to notice the way that Mark’s arm moves from the back of the chair so his hand can rest on the nape of Renjun’s neck and caress the skin there.

He almost can’t, but Jeno eventually musters the courage to look back at Donghyuck. The spotlight shines down on him, giving the impression that he’s emanating an angelic white glow. He sings with his eyes shut, a hand on his heart, and as his brows tighten Jeno can see the pure emotion he’s pouring into each word he sings.

As the song climaxes, Donghyuck’s eyes flutter open. He looks straight at Jeno, who consequently feels as though his chest has been pierced straight through with an arrow. Donghyuck’s hand moves from his heart, reaching out towards Jeno. His face is an open book, full of raw, unrestrained emotion. It’s honest, and Jeno desperately hopes he’s not reading it wrong.

There’s a pause before he sings the next line. _However far away / I will always love you._

Jeno feels his heart seize in his chest.

☼

When they return home from the bar, Donghyuck’s mother is already asleep, and so they’re quick to also collapse into bed. Jeno can tell by the way that Donghyuck buries himself under the covers and almost curls into Jeno’s side that he’s exhausted.

He’s questioned it before, Donghyuck’s clinginess at night, but Donghyuck had just blamed it on his naturally affectionate tendencies being elevated by fatigue. And who was Jeno to deny him cuddles in the dark? Especially considering that the nights he’s spent in Jeju have given him some of the best sleep he’s ever had. He can’t figure out if it’s just the bed—which is infinitely more comfy than his own back in Seoul—or if it’s the warmth and the safe feeling that Donghyuck gives him. Either way, he wakes each morning feeling refreshed and revitalised in a way he hasn’t in a very long time.

“Jeno?” Donghyuck mumbles, his lips moving against Jeno’s shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“What did you think of my performance?” He asks, voice small in a way that displays how vulnerable that question makes Donghyuck feels. Singing is his love, his passion, his heart, and in this moment Jeno holds that heart in his hand and has the power to crush it beyond relief.

Jeno relives every second of Donghyuck’s incredible performance. “My God, Hyuck, it was… It was amazing. It was more than that, so much so, I just… I don’t have the words. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Jeno rolls onto his side to face Donghyuck. Their faces are so close that Jeno can feel Donghyuck’s even breath fluttering against his cheek. “Your voice is heavenly. I could listen to it all day, seriously. It’s like you were made for that stage.” 

Donghyuck’s eyes are big and brown as he gazes at Jeno in surprise. There’s a sparkle in them like the galaxy was stolen and hidden there. “You really think so?”

Jeno nods firmly. “I do. It was magical, Hyuck, thank you so much for letting me see it.”

At that, Donghyuck lets out a chirp of happiness and burrows his way into Jeno’s chest, his arms wrapping tightly around Jeno’s waist. “Thank you for coming to support me.” He whispers.

Jeno pulls Donghyuck closer, tucking the other man’s head of curls under his chin. They slip into a comfortable silence for a while. It drapes itself over them like a blanket, but it does nothing to repress the eventual surge of emotions that explodes in Jeno’s ribcage. Ever since that… _realisation,_ Jeno had been shoving the threatening emotional overload deep down into a box and sitting tightly on the lid. Now, with the subject of his affections in his arms on the cusp of sleep, the box has sprung open in a glittery cloud of pink emotions that Jeno hasn’t dealt with in years.

He’s not entirely sure how to deal with it alone. And with Jaemin not here, and his phone out of reach, he finds himself confiding in the darkness.

“Tonight was… It was full of feelings.” He says carefully.

Jeno feels Donghyuck’s entire body tense up. “How so?”

“Oh, uh.” He didn’t think this far ahead. Words are stuck in Jeno’s throat and he stares at the wall opposite, trying to figure out what to say. “Because… because…”

_Tell him. Tell Donghyuck you think he’s drop dead gorgeous and you’ve got a big fat ugly crush on him._

He could, he definitely could do that, but instead: “Because of your brother. Johnny. And Taeyong, they were dancing together, and they just seemed so in love.” Jeno fumbles, cursing himself internally. 

The tension seems to bleed from Donghyuck’s sleepy form in an instant as his shoulders slump. “Oh. Yeah. They are.”

Jeno’s face twists in regret. He’s glad Donghyuck can’t see him, but he heard the sharpness of Donghyuck’s response loud and clear. Somehow, in different ways to what he’s already berating himself for, Jeno thinks he’s messed up. _Keep it going, keep talking, undo the mess you’ve made._ “And uh, did you see Mark and Yukhei? They’re together now.”

Donghyuck pulls away from Jeno and groans, flopping onto his back. His curls spread out into a dark halo on the pillow beneath his bead. Jeno instantly mourns the loss of warmth in his arms. “About time. But that means Renjun’ll never confess now. I’ve just been sentenced to a lifetime of a whiny Renjun. Kill me now, please, just do it before I have to suffer any longer.” Donghyuck pleads dramatically, throwing his arm over his eyes.

Jeno chuckles. “I told him to confess.”

Donghyuck lowers his arm and turns his head to look at Jeno, eyebrows raised. “Oh? And what did he say to that? I assume he said no. He’s too much of a weak bitch to actually confess.”

“We made a deal, I guess.” _You’re toeing the line, Jeno, one more step and you’ll say something you’re not ready for._

“What kind of deal?” Donghyuck’s voice is laced with curiosity. 

Jeno reaches out, cheeks burning, and pulls Donghyuck against him again. Almost automatically, Donghyuck curls into his body, snuggling his face into Jeno’s neck. “It’s a secret.”

“No fair.” Donghyuck mumbles lazily, lulled towards sleep once again by Jeno’s warmth. “My best friend and my beautiful guest having secrets without me…” His sentence trails off; the way his breathing begins to even out tells Jeno that he’s fallen asleep.

But Jeno himself couldn’t be more awake now. _Beautiful?_ He’s heard pretty, he’s heard cute—he’s heard all manner of things, but not beautiful. That’s a new one. And yet it was followed by the word _guest._ Three days ago, that would have stomped on Jeno’s heart. It would have told him to get a grip. Donghyuck is his Airbnb host, for God’s sake.

And to some extent, that thought still lingers in his mind uneasily.

But here he is, with Donghyuck sleeping in his arms. That… that doesn’t seem like something that Donghyuck would do with someone he simply thinks of as his guest.

Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but something in his heart tells Jeno that tonight there were a lot of things implied between the two of them. Yet they were all left unspoken, and Jeno doesn’t know what to do with that idea at all.

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeno u poor oblivious boy


	8. eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donghyuck and Jeno are rudely awoken.

Jeno is roused from slumber by a loud banging on the bedroom door the next morning. From where he lies half on top of Jeno, Donghyuck whines and tries to bury his face deeper into Jeno’s shoulder. The tips of his curls tickle Jeno’s cheeks.

The knocking continues.

“Donghyuck! Get up!” Johnny’s voice sounds from the other side of the door.

Jeno groans and shifts slightly under Donghyuck’s lead weight. “Come on, Hyuck, it’s your brother. We gotta get up.”

“Don’t wanna.” Donghyuck pouts.

“Are you decent?” This time, it’s Taeyong’s voice that rings out.

Jeno replies affirmative, shifting upwards slightly to lean against the headboard as the door swings open. Where he expected to only see Johnny and his fiancé, there’s actually a small crowd gathered in the hallway outside Donghyuck’s bedroom.

Alongside Johnny and Taeyong, Mark, Renjun, and Yukhei are also stood there, all with varying expressions on their faces because of what they’re looking at. Johnny and Taeyong both wear knowing smirks, but Mark and Yukhei look shocked and even a little embarrassed. Most interesting though is the panic in Renjun’s eyes as he looks between Jeno, now completely sat against the headboard, and Donghyuck with his face hidden against Jeno’s hip and body hidden by the rumpled white duvet. 

Jeno must admit, he knows what it looks like.

When Renjun looks to him again, their eyes meet, and Jeno shakes his head minutely. It’s enough for the panic on Renjun’s face to subside.

“Well well well.” Johnny starts, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded. “What have we here, little brother?”

Without leaving his spot curled against Jeno’s side, Donghyuck wriggles his arm free and silently sends Johnny the middle finger. Johnny only laughs and advances on the side of the bed that belongs to Donghyuck. He reaches out and grabs Donghyuck by the waist, shaking and tickling his step-brother’s tiny frame and trying to get a rise out of him. “Hyuckie,” He coos. “Come on, Hyuckie.”

Donghyuck blindly swipes behind him, but there’s no real effort in his movements and he misses Johnny’s body by a mile. “Jeno. Help me.” He mumbles.

Jeno laughs and pokes his sleep-swollen cheek gently, eliciting another whine from the other man. “If you get up, I will.”

“Alright, alright!” Donghyuck slowly summons the energy to push himself up. Johnny retreats and Donghyuck flips himself onto his back with a huff. The mattress bounces slightly at the movement and Jeno winces as his shoulder is knocked against the wooden headboard, but he forgets it and snorts when Donghyuck snaps at their audience.

“What are you all gawking at? Don’t you know it’s rude to rouse a man from sleep in such a way?” In his true, dramatic style, Donghyuck turns his nose up at his friends and sniffs.

Mark grins. “I don’t think you’re mad we woke you. I think you’re mad ‘cause you didn’t get to cuddle with—”

Yukhei slaps a hand over Mark’s mouth as Donghyuck glares at him. “We’ll be going now!” He lets out a nervous high-pitched laugh as he begins to drag Mark and Renjun away by the hands. “Don’t be long! We’re going to the beach today!” He yells over his shoulder as Jeno hears them make their way downstairs.

Taeyong holds his hand out for Johnny to take with a loving smile. Johnny tickles Donghyuck once more, teasing, before rejoining Taeyong in the doorway. “We’ll see you at the beach.” Taeyong calls knowingly, closing the door behind them with a click.

As soon as they are alone again, Donghyuck rolls over, colliding with Jeno. He tucks himself under Jeno’s arm. “Five more minutes.” He mutters, his eyes already closed.

☼

The sun beats down on the sand relentlessly. Jeno leans back on his hands, watching happily as children splash and play around in the shallows. Johnny, Taeyong, Yukhei and Donghyuck are out catching waves under the careful eye of the lifeguard, Jungwoo, and Mark and Renjun are building a sandcastle together.

Meanwhile, Jeno is just taking some time to soak up some rays.

Jaemin had instructed him to have at least one day where he just vegetates and does absolutely nothing. Upon discovering this instruction, Donghyuck had taken it to heart and told Jeno to stay put on his towel.

And well, Jeno isn’t complaining.

He’s happy to just sit back and absorb the feeling of Jeju. He flips himself onto his stomach and balls another towel under his head as a makeshift pillow. The heat of the sun on his bare back and the comfy dip he dug in the sand to lie in pulls him quickly into sleep.

He only wakes up because he feels something wet dripping onto his cheek. When he cracks one eye open, squinting against the sudden brightness, Jeno’s met with the sleeve of someone’s wetsuit dangling in his face.

Jeno groans and rolls onto his back, one arm shielding his eyes. 

“Oh! Sorry Jeno, I didn’t realise you were awake.”

It’s Taeyong. Jeno waves him off. “Don’t worry about it.”

“You enjoy your nap?”

As Jeno’s eyes adjust and he wakes up properly from his nap, Taeyong comes into focus. It’s as if someone turned the volume up on the world again: the voices around him, the sound of the waves lapping against the sand and feet against the boardwalk begin to fill the air.

Taeyong stands over him, wet grey hair hanging in his eyes. His wetsuit is undone and pulled down to his waist. Jeno nods, pushing his hair off his forehead.

“Yeah. I’m kinda hungry now, though.” Jeno admits, rubbing his stomach as it growls. 

Taeyong’s nose scrunches as he laughs. “Me too. Wanna go to the cafe?”

“Sure.” Jeno gets on his feet and brushes all the sand off his arms and legs. “Hey, do you guys want anything?” 

Mark and Renjun look over from where their sandcastle is forming quite impressively and shake their heads. “Nah, we’re good.”

“Alright.” Jeno turns to where Taeyong is waiting for him. They make their way up onto the boardwalk where people mill around, and weave their way through the crowd to head towards the cafe. As they head closer to the short row of buildings tucked against the cliff, the smell of ramen noodles floats towards them on the wind, steadily getting stronger and stronger. 

They enter the cafe and Jeno immediately relishes in the cool air being blown around the space by powerful electric fans stood in the corner. Like the bar, it has a homely feel, but this time the decor is a rich green. It feels a little like a jungle; each table crammed haphazardly into the space is topped with a leafy plant in a cute, hand painted pot. Jeno likes the character of the place—the jukebox in the corner is playing a slow song Jeno recognises to be by The Rose, even if he can’t remember the track’s title. As they join the queue to order some food, he folds his arms and taps his fingers against his elbow in time to the beat absentmindedly.

The queue shuffles forward slowly and soon enough they’re stood in front of a cute guy—he must be about Johnny’s age—with a flaming red undercut. It looks so good Jeno immediately wants to get the exact same haircut.

“Hi, Taeil.” Taeyong smiles softly and greets the man behind the counter. As he goes on to order, Jeno scans the menu boards tacked to the wall behind the counter and decides to just order a grilled cheese sandwich.

“What do you want, Jeno?” Taeyong asks, and Jeno leans over the counter slightly to tell Taeil what he wants. 

Taeyong swipes his card on the reader and Taeil goes over to the fridge to grab two cans of cola. “Here.” He slides the drinks across the counter to them, and Jeno opens it and takes a swig immediately. It’s refreshing, sending a wave of cool washing over his overheated body.

“Let's sit down, Jeno.” Taeyong thanks Taeil and turns from the counter to head to a table so they can sit down while they wait for their food.

As he turns round, Jeno splutters on his cola as he catches sight of the tattoo covering the expanse of Taeyong’s back.

“You good?” Taeyong asks with a laugh as they sit down.

Jeno nods, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Holy fuck. How did I not notice your tattoo before?”

Taeyong nods, suddenly understanding Jeno’s reaction. His eyes crinkle in amusement. “Ah, my tattoo. Yeah. It tends to shock people.”

“Yeah, oh my God. Can I?” Jeno gestures to Taeyong’s back.

Taeyong jerks his thumb behind him. “You wanna look?” Jeno nods, and Taeyong twists in his seat so Jeno can see the tattoo in its full glory again.

Honestly, Jeno has seen his fair share of dragon tattoos over the years, but none of them have been anywhere near as good as this one. It’s powerful, to say the least. The dragon’s head sits just below the nape of Taeyong’s neck, with the wings opened so that the wingspan stretches across the broad width of Taeyong’s shoulders. Then, the body and tail writhes down the length of Taeyong’s spine, the tip of the tail disappearing below the waist of his wetsuit. 

The dragon is a dark green colour, and it’s effortlessly elegant and entirely hypnotic. “Wow.” Jeno breathes.

“‘Yong’ means dragon,” Taeyong explains. “It’s supposed to be a reflection of myself. Or like, how I want to feel always.”

“Scaly?” Jeno jokes, and receives a sharp elbow to the abdomen in return.

“ _No_ , asshole,” Taeyong laughs. “Like I was always a shy kid. I wanted to be confident. More confident, more striking, more… dragon-like. And when I felt like I embodied that, I got the tat. It’s like a reminder of who I am.” Taeyong takes a long swig of his drink. “Plus, it makes me look intimidating as shit, so. That’s always a bonus.”

“Damn.” Jeno sits back, taking it in. “I wanna be a dragon.”

Taeyong makes a small _tch_ noise and taps the bottom of the cola can against the tabletop. “You don’t need the tat to be a dragon, Jeno.”

Before Jeno can respond with a disbelieving protest to Taeyong’s statement, Taeil appears at their table with their food. 

“Grilled cheese?” He asks, holding up the cardboard takeout box in his left hand.

“Yeah, please.” Jeno reaches out to take the box. It’s warm; he peeks inside and is met with a faceful of steam from the freshly toasted cheese inside. “Thanks.”

Taeyong takes his own lunch and they grab their drinks and make their way out of the cafe and onto the boardwalk. Now that Jeno has acknowledged Taeyong’s tattoo—he still doesn’t know how he missed it until now—he’s acutely aware of the ways everyone’s eyes follow them, unabashedly staring at the dragon sitting on Taeyong’s skin.

“Don’t you mind people staring at you?” Jeno wonders aloud. 

Taeyong shrugs. “It used to bother me. It still does, sometimes. Some days I don’t unzip my wetsuit until I’m at home and no one besides Johnny can see me because I don’t want people to look at me. But most of the time I don’t mind anymore. I’m not ashamed of it. It took a long time to get here, though.”

“That’s admirable.” Jeno muses. And it’s true. It’s funny: Jeno never would have thought that someone who looks the way Taeyong looks would struggle with self confidence. It’s a feeling Jeno recognises though, one he knows that deep down he’s very well acquainted with it. 

Taeyong squeezes Jeno’s shoulder. “You’ll get there, Jeno. I know it. You’re already on the way.”

Jeno wonders briefly that if he gets his own dragon tattoo it would help.

They step off the boardwalk and onto the hot sand when they reach Mark and Renjun. Their sandcastle is complete, standing tall and overly elaborate in all its glory, and they’re sat back on the sand admiring it. Donghyuck is stood over them, wetsuit dripping water onto the sand, talking to them quietly.

Mark spots them first. “Hey, TY!”

Taeyong grins and makes his way over to sit next to Mark. Johnny appears out of nowhere, draping himself over his fiancé until Taeyong rolls his eyes and hands his can of cola to him. Johnny takes it and sips it happily after pressing a kiss to Taeyong’s temple.

Jeno plonks himself back down on his towel. After securing his drink in the sand, confident it won’t knock over, he opens his takeout box and takes a big bite of his sandwich. 

Donghyuck drops down next to him, knocking their knees together. They’re sat a little way away from the others; it feels like they’re in their own private bubble despite still technically being sat in one big group.

“Ah.” Donghyuck nudges Jeno and leans in closer, mouth open and eyes trained in on Jeno’s sandwich. “Ahhhhhhhh.”

Jeno side eyes him and purposefully takes another bite. Donghyuck pouts, then resumes his not-so-silent begging. 

Eventually, after a lot of whining and many sharp knuckles to his ribcage, Jeno offers his grilled cheese to Donghyuck. As Donghyuck chews, he hums, doing a little happy dance in enjoyment. 

After a few moments of just sharing the sandwich in silence, Jeno speaks up. “Hey, Hyuck. Do you have a tattoo?”

Donghyuck swallows and makes a noise of affirmation. “Yeah. I do.”

Well, _fuck_. “Can I uh, can I see it?” Jeno requests.

Donghyuck giggles. “Hmm, maybe. What will you give me as payment for showing you?”

Jeno flushes as his mind immediately goes places it shouldn’t be going. “Uh… the rest of my grilled cheese sandwich?” He offers, holding up the small piece of toastie he has left. 

Donghyuck plucks it from his hand and shoves it in his mouth before Jeno can take it back. “Alright, deal. I’ll show you later.”

Jeno watches him do it with his mouth hanging open in shock. “I feel like I’ve been robbed.” He murmurs, and then sticks his little finger out. “You better pinky promise on that one.”

Donghyuck links their fingers tightly and presses the pads of their thumbs together. “I promise to show you, alright?”

“Good.” Jeno says, content. He leans back on his hands, eyes slipping closed and face tilted up towards the sun. “I kind of want a tattoo now, you know?”

Donghyuck laughs breezily. “Like what? Like Taeyong’s dragon?”

“Oh, no.” Jeno shakes his head, wincing as he imagines the discomfort of having it done. “I don’t think I could withstand that. Maybe something more subtle, but still kind of personal.”

Donghyuck rests his chin on his hand and begins to trace patterns in the sand. Across from them, Yukhei has just jumped on Mark and Renjun’s sandcastle. He’s now suffering the consequences, stuck under a pile of tiny, angry boy, shrieking as they pummel into his arms and stomach.

“You should do it.” Donghyuck hums. “I know! You should get one tomorrow. As like a leaving gift.”

“Hmmm.” Jeno ponders the possibility. He immediately finds that this idea is a quickly blossoming seed; now the thought of getting a small tattoo has been planted in his mind, he finds he badly wants to it. It’s kind of addictive. “Maybe I will.”

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeno in my professional opinion you should get donghyuck's face tattooed on ur stomach :)


	9. nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A kiss would be enough." Would it?

When they all return to Donghyuck’s cottage that evening, Mark and Renjun disappear inside with Donghyuck and Taeyong while Johnny and Yukhei start to light the bonfire.

When Jeno had discovered that Donghyuck has a firepit at the edge of the patio and looking out over the bay, he’d begged for them to light it.

So, here they are, piling logs into the charred pit. Johnny strikes a match and throws it into the mix, sparking the firelighters and causing flames to begin to lick at the wood.

Jeno huddles a little closer to the fire out of habit. He already can feel that it’s way too hot—the sun hasn’t set yet, and the heat of the fire combined with that of the daylight verges on uncomfortable. Johnny sits across from him, wearing a vest top with a collar that hangs ridiculously low. Jeno’s own white t-shirt feels prudish in comparison.

The front door slams and Jeno twists to look over his shoulder. Donghyuck emerges first hauling a crate of beer, and the others quickly follow with various plates of food and snacks. Taeyong comes last with a plastic fold up table.

“Beer?” Donghyuck grins, dumping the crate on the ground and throwing himself down on the low wooden bench next to Jeno.

Jeno nods and accepts the drink gratefully once Donghyuck uses the bottle opener to take the cap off. He takes a swig and leans against Donghyuck easily, basking in the way the heat in the small space makes him feel a little woozy.

His eyes flicker over to where Taeyong is fussing over the way that Johnny is arranging the food on the little table. It feels kind of domestic and lovely in a way that living alone in a city apartment makes him miss out on. If Jaemin were here with them, then everything would be perfect.

He’s suddenly struck with an intense feeling of belonging. The warmth and love shared by the people he’s surrounded by begins to get to him a little; Donghyuck and his friends and family didn’t have to let him in like this—after all, he’s only a guest—but they did. And Jeno can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed and emotional because of it.

“Jeno, do you want some chicken?” Jeno’s broken out of his thoughts by Taeyong’s soft voice. He’s leaning across Johnny slightly, offering a plate piled with crispy fried chicken and various other snacks to Jeno. There’s an open, inviting smile on his face.

Jeno accepts the food with a small word of gratitude and begins to tuck in quietly. Around him, the others are chatting and drinking happily, but Jeno feels strangely weighed down by his thoughts. Straight away Donghyuck seems to sense the mood shift—he nudges Jeno with his shoulder, shooting him a questioning look. Jeno gifts him a sure smile in return, and Donghyuck turns back to his conversation with Mark and his friends.

Amongst it all, Jeno feels content. Safe. Warm.

Four or five days ago Jeno would never have imagined that this vacation would turn out like this. He thought it would be spent solo, his time filled with learning to live outside of work again. Rest and recuperation and… maybe a kiss.

But it seems he got more than he bargained for in more ways than one.

Jeno glances at each person sat round the fire with him. Johnny and Taeyong, the doting and teasing older brothers he never had; Mark, Renjun, and Yukhei, the easy-going friends he never knew he needed. Each one unwaveringly welcomed him into their lives without blinking; they shared their joy with him without question. That perhaps was what he needed to find his peace of mind—not a holiday, but them.

And as always, his gaze falls on Donghyuck. Donghyuck, whose skin glows with the reflection of the flames in the low light, whose smile seems to light up Jeno’s entire world. He’s laughing and teasing Renjun, who’s trying to ignore the way Mark presses not-so-innocent kisses to Yukhei’s neck.

How, in such a short space of time, has Donghyuck managed to squeeze himself into Jeno’s heart like this?

☼

Johnny, Taeyong, and Donghyuck’s friends leave soon after Jeno begins to feel a little more than tipsy. The sun has just finished setting, leaving the bay and the forest behind bathed in darkness. There is no light save for the flames that still lick higher into the sky, embers and sparks flying out of the wood and onto the ground around them.

Jeno watches as Donghyuck diligently moves around and tidies the plates and food away. He takes it into the house but returns quickly, throwing himself back down into the seat next to Jeno and downing most of the bottle of drink.

Silence falls over both of them until Jeno speaks up.

“I didn’t expect this week to go like this at all.” He says, taking a swig of his beer.

“Oh really?” Donghyuck grins, one eyebrow quirking. It looks a little sexy. “Is that good or bad?”

Jeno’s eyes flicker up and down Donghyuck’s figure. He feels light headed from all the alcohol that begins to swim in his veins, and is acutely aware he is very close to being drunk. “In a good way. It’s been much better than I could have imagined.”

“That’s good.” Donghyuck sighs, leaning against Jeno’s shoulder and gazing up at the stars. “I’m glad that Jeju has helped you so much. I know you really needed it.”

Jeno takes another sip for courage and turns to look at Donghyuck sharply. “I… I don’t think it was Jeju that helped me.”

When Donghyuck locks eyes with Jeno, the firelight reveals the surprised blush dusting his cheek, but there's a clear understanding in his face. “You don’t?”

Jeno shakes his head resolutely. “No.” He whispers, and downs the rest of the bottle.

Donghyuck exhales, a little puff of breath that sounds pleased.

“I think it was the sun that did it, to be honest.” Jeno confesses.

There’s a knowing smirk on Donghyuck’s face as he leans towards Jeno, their noses almost touching. Jeno can smell the alcohol on his breath, but in the back of his mind he knows he’s not drunk enough for whatever is about to happen. Donghyuck glances down at his lips fleetingly; a momentary movement that Jeno almost misses but doesn’t. Heat prickles at the back of his neck.

“Do you want to see my tattoo now?” Donghyuck murmurs, his voice low and inviting.

Jeno swallows. He nods.

Donghyuck moves backwards and puts his half-full bottle of beer on the ground beside him. Jeno picks up and uncaps another, just as Donghyuck stretches to pull his t-shirt over his head in one swift movement. As he drops the shirt confidently on the bench next to him, he catches sight of Jeno, whose lips are parted and eyes slightly glazed over.

“Ready, city boy?”

He turns to reveal the smooth, painted expanse of his back. Jeno stills; decorating the space from shoulder to shoulder is the most beautiful tattoo Jeno has ever seen. It’s nothing like Taeyong’s dragon—it’s just as striking, just as bold, but it’s more personal, more soft. 

It takes him a moment to realise it’s the view of the cove from the window of the bedroom that Jeno was staying in. It’s mostly black and white, except for the sunset, depicted in hot red and feisty orange and yellow splashes of watercolour style ink. There’s a hint of pink too, Jeno discovers as he reaches out a tentative hand to trace the lines running over Donghyuck’s back. 

The sunset takes pride of place on the left shoulder, and the tattoo ends in a detailed depiction of the forest on the right. Each star is painstakingly added, the entire galaxy immortalised on Donghyuck’s golden skin. It’s captivating, just like its canvas, and so completely right for him.

As Jeno’s fingers dance over the picture, falling more and more in love with it the longer he stares, he finds that some parts of the constellation are raised bumps. When his fingers linger there, Donghyuck hums knowingly.

“My moles,” He says. “I have a lot. I used to be really insecure about them, so I hid them amongst the stars. Now…” His voice is uncharacteristically quiet as he plays with his fingers in his lap. “Now I don’t mind them so much.”

Jeno wants to commit the image of Donghyuck’s tattoo to memory. He feels intoxicated by every new layer of Donghyuck that he uncovers; drunk on it all. Holding desperately onto that feeling, and every other emotion that he’s been hit with over the last two days, he lets his hand slide onto Donghyuck’s shoulder and leans forward to press his lips against the top of Donghyuck’s spine.

The body beneath his touch tenses. A quiet gasp fills the night air, and Jeno pulls away, mind reeling. 

_I can’t believe I just did that._

Donghyuck whips around, eyes wide. “Jeno?”

“I’m sorry,” Jeno splutters. He reaches for his drink again, feeling the moment shatter as he fumbles around, knocking back the beer. It tastes gross now, but the way the inebriated thrumming under his skin returns is a small comfort. “I shouldn’t have, I—”

Donghyuck makes a noise of frustration and grabs the now empty bottle from Jeno’s hand. “Shut up.” He says, words slurring a little. “Just…”

He shifts in his seat so he’s facing Jeno more comfortably, and reaches up to fiddle with the ends of Jeno’s hair. The atmosphere between them seems to change, especially when Donghyuck leans closer and closer until his breath is ghosting over Jeno’s cheek.

The flames crackling beside them make Donghyuck’s skin glow. His eyes are dark, hooded almost, and as he slips his hand to rest on Jeno’s jaw Jeno unabashedly thinks he’s the most beautiful person alive.

“Tell me if you want me to stop.” Donghyuck whispers, and crashes their lips together.

It’s kind of messy at first, full of teeth and lacking finesse, but neither of them are sober enough to care. Jeno brings his hands up to sit on Donghyuck’s thighs, gripping them tightly as he kisses back fervently. 

The sound of lips on lips is obscene in the silence of the night. It’s so easy to lose himself in the moment; Jeno bites down on Donghyuck’s bottom lip gently, enjoying the way his breath hitches in response. 

Donghyuck presses closer, their thighs flush against each other, and swipes his tongue against the seam of Jeno’s lips. Jeno parts his lips without a second thought and Donghyuck licks into his mouth hotly. Their lips slot together, pushing and pulling in a way that makes Jeno’s mind short-circuit.

Donghyuck whines into Jeno’s mouth as he shifts around, trying to find a better angle. Jeno slides his hands up Donghyuck’s waist to grip his hips and encourage Donghyuck to sit on his lap. He does so without hesitation—it seems he was just waiting for an invitation—and moves to straddle Jeno’s thighs. It changes the dynamic completely, allowing them to kiss longer, slower, deeper.

Jeno dances his hands over the exposed expanse of Donghyuck’s stomach. He traces the dips of his soft stomach and runs his fingers over protruding hip bones. The way it makes Donghyuck gasp and nip at his lips and tongue is absolutely delectable; Jeno pinches the skin of Donghyuck’s waist lightly and kisses him harder to swallow the gorgeous sound he makes in return.

God, this is it.

Jeno feels nothing but pure bliss from the feeling of Donghyuck’s body so close to his. This is the kiss he’d been needing, _wanting_. This is it and so much more.

Donghyuck makes his head swim. The way his plush lips slide against Jeno’s own is enough to intoxicate him; they’re plump and smooth and taste like cherry chapstick and it’s like a dangerous drug that Jeno wants to become addicted to.

As Donghyuck loops his arms around Jeno’s neck, he pulls back to breathe for a second. They’re still close enough for their noses to brush and their breath to mingle. It’s warm against the rapidly dropping temperate: with every exhale a cloud of smoke rises from their mouths and floats away on the breeze.

Despite that, Jeno has never felt hotter. It runs under his skin like his blood is boiling in his veins, struck alight by a match that Donghyuck holds.

Jeno opens his eyes to find Donghyuck admiring him through a hooded gaze. “You’re just so _pretty_ , Jeno…” His tongue darts out to wet his lips as he brushes a thumb over the smooth skin of Jeno’s cheek. “So, so handsome.” His words blur together as he mumbles small nothings to Jeno.

“Have you even seen yourself?” Jeno breathes out incredulously. This close, he can make out the freckles that decorate the apples of Donghyuck’s cheeks and his nose like a sprinkling of glitter. Jeno runs a hand through Donghyuck’s curls as he flushes happily at Jeno’s compliment.

Gently, Donghyuck leans forward to press a kiss to the corner of Jeno’s mouth. He does it again and again, until Jeno is giggling and pulling the boy on his lap as close as possible. Donghyuck hums against his mouth, peppering kisses along his jaw that get slowly more intense and intimate the closer they get to his neck.

“Donghyuck, Donghyuck…” Jeno is still laughing a little, huffing out Donghyuck’s name in between breaths.

There’s no reply; only the feeling of lips sucking on the skin below his ear. Jeno gasps as Donghyuck works magic on the sensitive skin there, hands gripping Jeno’s shoulders as he nips and bruises the skin. 

It feels different to before. More needy somehow, more desperate in a way that makes Jeno’s whole body go pliant under Donghyuck’s touch. He’s completely sucked under the spell that Donghyuck casts with every press of his tongue to the rich purple bruises that bloom on Jeno’s burning skin. It’s maddening, this feeling, the way that it gives him such a rush that it leaves him light-headed.

Somehow Donghyuck knows how to completely unravel him. Thread by thread and inch by inch, Jeno is destroyed; tainted by the touch of Lee Donghyuck, and he knows that nothing will ever be the same again.

They kiss some more, Donghyuck allowing Jeno to guide their mouths back together needily. Eager hands fumble and explore the territory of each other. Teasing fingers leave a trail of fire in their wake, alighting every inch of skin they conquer. Jeno has never felt more alive than he does in this moment.

“Jeno.” Donghyuck mumbles between kisses. Jeno smiles against his mouth, ignoring him in favour of kissing him again, slotting their lips together languidly and dragging his teeth over Donghyuck’s bottom lip as slow as he can. “Jeno, Jeno!”

Jeno begins to kiss down Donghyuck’s neck, humming into his skin as he paints it a deep, bruising blue colour. Donghyuck grips Jeno’s shoulders and pushes at him a little. He laughs, little giggles broken by gasps, and throws his head back as a sudden wave of pleasure washes over him.

“Jeno!” Donghyuck manages to stutter out, and finally Jeno pulls away and stares at him in annoyance.

“What, Donghyuck?” His lips are swollen and they quirk up at the corners when they take in the picture of Donghyuck straddled across his thighs. Around them, night has fallen impossibly darker, and the still roaring fire next to them causes shadows to flicker across Donghyuck’s face. He looks enticing and sinful painted in gold, the highs and lows of his angular face accentuated gorgeously.

He looks positively undone. Curls askew, eyes hooded, lips red and slick as he runs his tongue over them. Jeno doesn’t know whether to be proud or ashamed that he was the one that reduced Donghyuck to such a blushing, ravaged image.

“We should go inside. It’s getting cold.” Donghyuck whispers, looping his arms around Jeno’s neck again and pressing their foreheads together. Through his hazy mind, Jeno begins to feel the harsh chill and goosebumps on his arms that he’d been too preoccupied to notice before.

Jeno tilts his chin up and presses a last kiss to Donghyuck’s mouth. “Okay. Let’s go to bed.”

Donghyuck hauls himself off Jeno’s lap and they fool around together, laughing as they struggle to put out the bonfire. Over the dying flames, Jeno catches Donghyuck’s eye, and when he sees the sparkle and joy within them his drunken mind begins to realise what just happened between them.

He’s still thinking about it and still trying to process it all while Donghyuck links their fingers together and they head inside, leaving a pile of smoking, charred wood behind them. They stumble their way up the stairs, high on each other.

Donghyuck begins to giggle as they change out of their smoky clothes and slip into more comfortable shirts.

“What, what are you laughing at?” Jeno asks with a wide smile as they tuck themselves under the covers.

Donghyuck wraps himself around Jeno’s lean body and nuzzles into his neck, kissing the explosion of bruises that stain the skin there. “I can’t believe it took me this long to kiss you when kissing you felt like _that_.” He mutters.

Stunned, Jeno doesn’t know what to say to that. He stares at the ceiling in silence, not knowing what feels heavier—the weight of Donghyuck lying half across his chest or the weight of wondering how he’s going to face said man in the morning.

His heart has never felt so full. And he knows it wasn’t just a kiss. It never was; it hasn’t been since the day Jaehyun told him it’s _okay_ to like Donghyuck. 

Maybe being drunk was the reason he was confident enough to kiss Donghyuck the way he deserves to be; maybe that was the reason that Donghyuck kept kissing back.

Maybe he’ll blame it on the alcohol in the morning, but, as Jeno drowns in the silence of the room and the steady rise and fall of Donghyuck’s breathing, he knows it was never just because of that.

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my favourite chapter i wrote :D


	10. ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the night before.

Jeno wakes up the next morning to an empty bed. As he sits up, rubbing the sleep and the merest hint of a hangover from his eyes, he finds himself alone in the room with sunlight streaming in through the open curtains.

He flops back onto the bed with a sigh. Memories of last night flash through his mind, and they’re mostly full of Donghyuck.

Jeno groans. He can’t seem to think of anything other than Donghyuck at the moment.

Donghyuck, who seems to have disappeared.

Jeno hits himself on the forehead with the side of his fist quickly a few times before heaving himself out of bed. It’s his last day here in paradise, and as much as he’d like to stay in bed all day and avoid the consequences of last night (and Donghyuck), he can’t. He’s got to get up and face it.

After showering and pulling a face at the way his dark roots are seriously coming through, Jeno tiptoes downstairs. He can’t hear any movement in the house; it’s completely still. The lounge is empty as he makes his way through it, and when he sticks his head in the kitchen he finds that room deserted too. Dishes are left on the side, telling of a breakfast made and eaten. 

Just before he leaves, Jeno notices that Sun’s cage has been left open, and he grabs an apple from the fruit bowl with a frown before heading towards the front door which has tellingly been left ajar.

Just as he suspected, Donghyuck is sat at the patio table and staring out over the ocean. 

“Donghyuck,” Jeno calls. “Sun’s cage is open, I think he might have escaped— oh.”

Donghyuck turns to face him, revealing the little budgie perched on his left index finger. His straw hat is pulled firmly over his curls, and he wears a slightly troubled expression on his face.

“Jeno.” Donghyuck relaxes slightly. Sun hops from his finger to waddle around the table as he pats the seat next to him. “Come sit.”

Nervously, Jeno perches next to Donghyuck, who sends him a reassuring smile.

“Why do you look like I’m about to bite your head off?” Donghyuck asks, amused.

“You’re not?”

Donghyuck snorts. “Of course not. I wouldn’t. That would be a waste of a pretty face, right?” It’s a clear attempt to lighten the mood, but it falls flat as he sees Jeno visibly freeze up. “Jeno,” He starts again, more serious this time. “I think there are some things we need to talk about.”

Jeno hangs his head and winces. He knew he’d have to face it at some point and pay for crossing a line, but he didn’t think confrontation would come so quickly. God. _I should’ve stayed in bed._

“About last night.” Donghyuck begins, and Jeno mentally buckles up. “I don’t think we can deny that we had a—a moment, right? A pretty big one, to be honest.” Laughing awkwardly, Donghyuck scratches just below his ear and knocks the collar of his jumper to display a hint of the vibrant array of hickies decorating his neck and matching the ones that cover Jeno’s skin too. He had tried to ignore them in the mirror this morning, but as Jeno lays eyes on his work on Donghyuck’s canvas, he can no longer push them out of his mind.

“I, uh. I agree.” Jeno chokes out.

“And.” Donghyuck’s cheeks turn rosy. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to blame it on the alcohol. I’m not one to shy away from my feelings, Jeno, I’m sure you’ve probably guessed that from how I’ve acted this week, so I just…” Donghyuck shrugs, looking more vulnerable than Jeno has ever seen him. There’s a sigh, and then: “I just wanted to know if any of it was real to you. If it meant anything.” He looks up at Jeno hopefully. “Did it?”

Jeno takes a moment to process everything that Donghyuck just told him. He feels like his world has been thrown off kilter. Does this… does this mean what he thinks it means?

Donghyuck leans forwards and puts a hand on Jeno’s knee. “Did it?” He repeats, voice small.

Jeno closes his eyes and feels the way his heart thunders in his ears.

_Fuck blaming it on the alcohol. Fuck it._

He opens his eyes. “Yes.” He breathes, resting his hand over Donghyuck’s. “God, yes, it meant everything to me.”

The way Donghyuck’s shoulders sag in relief and a grin takes over his features is radiant. Jeno laughs a little, cupping Donghyuck’s cheek.

“I want to try this.” Donghyuck confesses. “Us, I mean. I know you’re going home tomorrow, but if you want to…?”

Jeno nods and brushes their noses together, reaching up blindly to remove Donghyuck’s hat and drop it on the floor. From the table, Sun chirps happily.

He feels like there’s so much that he has to say, so much more that they need to talk about, but right now all Jeno wants to do is kiss Donghyuck again. Sober, this time.

And so he does.

It’s a sweet, innocent kiss. Jeno pecks Donghyuck’s lips repeatedly, holding his face lightly with both hands.

“That song I sung at the bar, the last one. The Adele one.” Donghyuck begins when Jeno pulls away. “I was trying to tell you how I felt. I should’ve guessed you’d be too dumb to realise, but God, I just had an inkling, you know? That you liked me back? And everyone told me I should go for it—God knows I haven’t been this happy in so long—” Donghyuck laughs incredulously. “So I did it in the only way I could think of. I sung you a love song. Because I really, really like you Jeno, and I can’t let you go home without letting you know exactly how attached to you I’ve become.”

Somewhere in the middle of Donghyuck’s confession, Jeno’s eyes glossed over. He sniffs back happy tears and laughs, overwhelmed by the knowledge that Donghyuck really does like him back. It’s a feeling of validation and feeling complete, in a way. Somehow, Jeno feels like finally everything he came to Jeju to look for is falling into place.

“In that case, I should probably tell you that I really, really like you too.” Jeno throws any lingering inhibitions out the window and takes the jump. And the look on Donghyuck’s face is entirely worth the fall, he decides. 

“You do?”

“I do. It’s mad, and I don’t know how it happened, but it just kind of feels like it was meant to be, you know? You brought out the best in me.” It feels weird, laying his heart out for Donghyuck to see. But if this is his chance then Jeno has to take it, even if he’s not good with words like Donghyuck is.

But it doesn’t seem to matter that he isn’t. Donghyuck’s face scrunches up in joy and he leans forward to lean his forehead against Jeno’s shoulder. The morning sun beats down on them, the glare reflecting off the patio so harshly that Jeno has to close his eyes for a second. Moments later, he feels Sun’s sharp claws in his hair and the weight of the little bird on his head. 

“Long distance might be hard, but I want to try. I think we could be wonderful.” Jeno decides. Donghyuck giggles, overcome, and surges forwards. He climbs his way onto Jeno’s lap like it’s natural and kisses Jeno till they’re both breathless.

“You make me so, so happy, Lee Jeno.”

Jeno looks up at Donghyuck. The sun behind him gives him an angelic glow; his curls fall around his face and his eyes sparkle and Jeno thinks he’s the prettiest person he’s ever seen.

At the same time, Donghyuck admires the way that Jeno’s hair is getting long enough to fall in his eyes. The way that long eyelashes frame the most beautiful eyes that crinkle into crescents when Jeno grins up at him.

He feels as though he could stay in this moment forever.

Donghyuck gently encourages Sun to flutter back down to the table so he can run his hands through Jeno’s hair. “What do you want to do today, love? Any ideas?”

Jeno thinks for a second, and his mind takes him back to last night. Not the kissing part, although he wouldn’t mind revisiting that—no, the part just before that. “I think I have a couple of ideas.”

☼

Jeno winces as the needle repeatedly presses ink into his arm. The tattoo artist—Yuta, a close friend of Johnny’s—wipes the excess ink from his skin and puts the gun down. 

“There. All done.”

Jeno opens his eyes from where he had been enduring the discomfort and glances down at the inside of his wrist. “I love it.” 

There, on the section of skin where his veins can be seen faintly, is a tattoo of the sun. It’s nothing like Donghyuck’s; it’s a simple, small, black and white line drawing, but it’s enough for Jeno.

“Let me see!” Donghyuck bounces over from his seat by the entrance and grabs Jeno’s hand, carefully turning Jeno’s arm so he can see the tattoo. “Oh, Jeno, it suits you so much.”

Jeno twists their hands so he can link their fingers together. “You think so?”

Donghyuck nods. “I can’t believe we’ve been dating for two hours and you’ve already got a tattoo for me.” He teases.

Jeno bats him away and rolls his eyes. “It’s not for you, dumbass, it’s for your budgie. Obviously.”

Donghyuck pouts, which Jeno immediately leans up to kiss away. It feels incredible to be able to kiss Donghyuck without thinking twice about it.

Before it can get too heated, Yuta clears his throat. “You know how to take care of it while it heals?”

Jeno turns back to him and shakes his head, so Yuta launches into his spiel about caring for it while he wraps a bandage firmly around the small tattoo. As he explains which creams to use and when, Donghyuck shoots a text to his brother, who is waiting for them with Taeyong in the cafe opposite Yuta’s tattoo parlour. A few minutes later, when Jeno is handing some cash over to Yuta’s apprentice in payment, Johnny and Taeyong duck into the shop.

“Hey, man.” Johnny greets Yuta with a slap on the back and they disappear into a corner to discuss Johnny’s next addition to the art gallery on his body.

Taeyong comes over to Jeno and Donghyuck. “All good, all done?” He asks.

Jeno nods and Donghyuck reaches for his hand. Taeyong raises an eyebrow at their linked fingers, a knowing smirk on his face, but says nothing and instead they hover until Johnny ambles back over, hands shoved in his pockets.

“Woah, what’s this?” Johnny says as he clocks their hands. “You’re getting comfortable with each other, aren’t you? I thought Jeno wasn’t up for that kind of thing.”

They exit the shop and begin to wander towards the residential area of town. The moisture in the air is beginning to thicken; Jeno can feel that sweat will soon begin to form around the edges of his bandages.

Donghyuck nudges his leg with their linked hands as they walk. “I’m going to tell him. Is that okay?” He whispers, leaning close so Jeno can hear. The edges of his straw hat tickle the side of Jeno’s face.

Jeno nods and squeezes his hands. “Of course.” He knows that Donghyuck doesn’t like keeping secrets from Johnny.

“We uh, actually have something to tell you guys.” Donghyuck starts, turning to face his brother as they walk. 

“You’re dating now. I know. It was kinda obvious.” Johnny says. Taeyong stifles a laugh behind his hand. 

“Oh.”

“I’m only surprised you didn’t get together earlier.” Johnny muses, throwing an arm around Taeyong’s shoulders as his fiancé agrees.

“You don’t think it’s too fast?” Donghyuck says nervously. Suddenly, Jeno becomes aware of how important Johnny’s approval is to Donghyuck.

Luckily, Johnny gives it to him. “Not at all. You guys are gonna be good for each other. If you know that someone is right for you, then you know. You can’t let that slip through your fingers.”

Taeyong snorts. “Wise words coming from someone who tried to break up with me three times.” He says, but there’s no bite to his words as he jabs Johnny in the stomach with his elbow.

“But you didn’t let me go, did you?” Johnny says, burying his nose in Taeyong’s hair as they walk. “And that’s how I knew. You’re my one and only, Taeyongie.” He sings.

Donghyuck pretends to gag, but Jeno thinks it’s cute. And it’s nice to have Johnny’s support and approval. For Donghyuck’s peace of mind mostly, but also for his own.

As they reach Johnny and Taeyong’s house, Jeno wonders how Jaemin will react.

They all pile indoors, taking their shoes off and leaving them tucked to the side in the hallway. The house is similar to Donghyuck’s in its homely, personal feel, but it has more character, more vibrancy. Where Donghyuck’s cottage is white and sky blue, Johnny and Taeyong have gone for rich purples with a pop of yellow and orange here and there. It’s almost a full rainbow, with some teal thrown in there for luck. Jeno takes a liking to the mismatched furniture and the way that although it seems like it shouldn’t, it all goes together.

“Right, shall we get this over and done with, Jeno?” Taeyong asks, throwing his jacket over the back of the sofa. He looks at Jeno expectantly.

“Let’s do it.” He replies, and Donghyuck claps his hands together in excitement.

“I’m gonna make some tea.” Johnny calls from where he’s disappeared into the kitchen. “Anybody want any?”

“Can you make it iced?” Donghyuck yells back.

Johnny’s head pops around the doorframe and he pulls a funny face at his brother. “Only if you help.”

Donghyuck pouts. “Fine.” He agrees, pushing himself off the armchair he was leaning against and goes to help Johnny. Jeno and Taeyong, meanwhile, make their way upstairs armed with a reusable bag filled with hair products.

Taeyong switches the bathroom light on and instructs Jeno to perch on the edge of the bath. From there, he watches as Taeyong pulls out boxes of bleach and begins to read the instructions with a frown.

“I thought you’re a trained hairdresser?” Jeno asks teasingly, and Taeyong turns and pretends to hit Jeno in retaliation.

“I am.” He huffs, going back to perusing the words on the side of the box. “I’ve just never used this brand of bleach before, alright? I don’t want to be responsible for all your hair falling out. Wouldn’t want your relationship to only last a day ‘cause you’re bald and ugly.”

Jeno snorts. “Fair enough.” He can’t say that sounds like a particularly enticing outcome.

Soon enough, Taeyong is satisfied he knows how to use this particular brand, and pulls some gloves on. “Right.” He runs his hands through Jeno’s hair, feeling the thickness of it, before turning back to where the products are laid out on the sink. He grabs a bowl and begins to mix the bleach and the developer thoroughly. “Ready?”

He turns to Jeno, wielding the application brush like a weapon. Jeno nods, tilting his head forwards so Taeyong can begin applying the bleach to his hair. He makes quick work of the process; it’s not long before Jeno’s hair is fully coated in the paste. With a chuckle, Taeyong pulls a floral shower cap out and slips it onto Jeno’s head, snapping the elastic against his forehead.

“Set a timer on your phone for 35 minutes.” Taeyong instructs him as he takes off his gloves and chucks them in the bin beside the sink. “We can look then and decide whether it needs to sit for longer, okay?”

Jeno nods and does as Taeyong told him. He can feel the bleach beginning to tingle; it’s a familiar feeling, and a long way from being unbearable yet. He helps clear up the counter in the bathroom before making his way back downstairs to join Johnny and Donghyuck.

Donghyuck snuggles into his side when Jeno joins him on the sofa and hands him a glass of iced tea. “The flowers suit you.” He murmurs, before focusing his attention back on the TV. It’s the same episode of _Strong Girl Do Bong-soon_ that Jeno was absentmindedly watching the day Jaemin made him book this holiday, and now, sat here, he feels a strong sense of deja vu.

In a short space of time, Jeno feels like he’s grown accustomed to this. Donghyuck’s been sitting this close to him on the sofa when they watch TV in the evenings for a good few days now, and so it feels natural for Jeno to have him under his arm. Just like before, he doesn’t pay attention to the plot, but this time it’s in favour of admiring Donghyuck rather than staring blankly at the wall.

Jeno thinks Donghyuck could outshine Park Hyungsik any day of the week.

Across the room, Johnny also isn’t paying attention to the drama. He watches his not-so-little brother fondly, feeling warmth spreading in his chest. This is what Donghyuck deserves. Johnny has always wanted him to find his happiness, and now he has, Johnny couldn’t be more hopeful that they last.

The timer goes off soon enough; Jeno makes quick work of washing the bleach out and Taeyong helps him apply toner to reduce the more orange colour on his roots.

“It’s turned out better than I expected, actually.” Taeyong muses, fluffing Jeno’s hair with his hand. “You should be able to dye it to whatever blond colour you prefer when you get home. Or bleach the roots again, if you just want to stick with bleach blond.”

Jeno looks at himself in the mirror, considering. He remembers how he looked just over a week ago: almost hollow, shadows under his eyes the same colour as midnight. Hair a mess, tired to the core… it wasn’t good.

In contrast, his reflection in the mirror looks like a whole new person. There’s even the beginnings of a healthy glow under his skin instead of that sickly pallor, and whilst his dark circles aren’t completely nonexistent, they’re much fainter than they were. 

Jeno smiles, almost relieved when the man in the mirror beams back at him. _It is me. It’s me. That’s me…_

For the first time in a long time, Jeno is looking in the mirror and he finds that he likes what he sees. He reaches out to brush his fingers against the glass, and then his own cheeks, feeling the warmth of his skin. He takes a moment to appreciate how purely lucky he is to feel like this; he didn’t think the day would ever come when he could feel so content and at peace with his own existence. And the more he lingers on that thought, the more alive he gradually begins to feel.

Taeyong pokes his head round the door and begins to ask Jeno if he’s coming downstairs, but stops short when he sees the tears brimming in Jeno’s eyes. He rushes forward in concern, reaching out to pull Jeno in for a hug when he notices the smile shining through the tears.

“Jeno?” He says, voice wavering with uncertainty. “Are you okay?”

Jeno nods, wiping his eyes. “I’m just so, so happy, you know? In myself. Finally. After so long.”

Taeyong’s shoulders sag in relief and he grins from ear to ear. Tentatively, he wraps Jeno in that hug, and rocks them side to side for a while. When he pulls back, he tucks a loose strand of hair behind Jeno’s hair and takes his chin between his thumb and forefinger, staring into Jeno’s eyes. “I couldn’t be prouder of you, Jeno. That’s what you deserve.”

Jeno nods and glances back at his reflection to make sure the beginnings of true self-acceptance weren’t a dream. But as his heart swells when he makes eye contact with himself, he knows it wasn’t.

He sees Taeyong stood behind him in the mirror, grey hair hanging in his eyes and earrings wobbling slightly as he folds his arms and shifts his weight to his other legs. He reaches out and puts a comforting hand on Jeno’s shoulder. “Go on then, handsome. Go and show off your new hair to Donghyuck. I guarantee he’s gonna spontaneously combust when he sees it.”

Jeno laughs. He shakes his head to rearrange his fringe slightly, picking at the strands and laying them more evenly against his forehead. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jeno is a really big self insert so writing the last scene was kind of special to me :')


	11. eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeno says goodbye to his friends, and spends his last morning alone with Donghyuck.

Taeyong lied. Donghyuck didn’t burst into flames at the sight of Jeno with bright blond hair, but Jeno is quite glad he didn’t because if he had, they wouldn’t be at the beach right now, enjoying the party Jaehyun has thrown as a farewell for him.

Everyone is here: Johnny, Taeyong, Mark, Renjun, Yukhei. Jeno’s even been briefly introduced to Jungwoo the lifeguard, and he spotted the tattoo artist Yuta hanging around earlier. The party began in the bar with everyone knocking back shots. Once sufficiently buzzed, Jeno had dragged Donghyuck into a corner to make out with him sloppily, and taken great satisfaction in watching Renjun’s jaw drop in horror as he connected the dots.

“Your turn to confess now, if I remember correctly.” Jeno had murmured into his ear as he and Donghyuck had passed him on their way back to the bar, hand in hand.

Renjun had scowled, and all he said was: “I fucking hate you.”

But Jeno’s seen him eyeing up the subjects of his affection since then, and if he looks over now, he can see Renjun approaching Mark and Yukhei where they’re getting cosy together on a pile of cushions spread on the sand.

He hopes it turns out alright for them. He really does.

Seemingly a master at throwing beach parties, Jaehyun has taken charge of the entire stretch of beach. Fairy lights have been strung between the lampposts that are dotted at intervals along the boardwalk, and he’s stuck tall torches in the sand. It’s light enough to see, but as the moon comes out, the darkness of the dusk is there enough to be atmospheric.

Music streams out from the restaurant, and people mill about, drinking and chatting and laughing. Just by the shore, a makeshift dance floor has been set up. Jeno finds himself being dragged there by an enthusiastic (and tipsy) Donghyuck. He goes willingly until they get there and the song switches suddenly to a much slower number. 

If he squints, Jeno thinks he can make out Johnny stood by the DJ, sending him a wink and a thumbs up. 

Jeno groans, but Donghyuck gasps happily. “Oh, Jeno, perfect!”

“No.” Jeno tries to break away, to run and hide from the slow love song, but Donghyuck has his wrist in a vice-like grip. “Donghyuck, please, I hate slow songs.”

Donghyuck looks at him sadly. “But Jeno, it’s your song.”

Confused, Jeno actually stops and focuses on the song. It becomes more and more familiar the longer he listens; if he focuses hard enough he can even make out the lyrics. When it clicks in his brain, he looks over at Donghyuck, lips parted in realisation.

“It’s our song.” He stutters. It’s the song that Donghyuck sung for him at the bar at the open mic night. It’s Adele’s _Love Song_.

“Please, Jeno.” Donghyuck pleads, lacing their fingers together and drawing their linked fingers towards him until Jeno can feel Donghyuck’s heartbeat through his t-shirt. “Please dance with me. Just once.”

Jeno bites his lip. He can’t say he likes the idea of slow dancing any more, even when it’s such an important song for them, but he likes Donghyuck. He supposes that’s reason enough. “Okay, love. I’ll dance with you.”

Donghyuck squeals happily and drags him further down the beach so they’re dancing with the other couples, but still just to the side of them all for it to feel like their own private moment. Jeno spots Johnny and Taeyong swaying together amongst the crowd, and he wonders if he and Donghyuck look at each other like that. Like nothing else exists or matters in that moment other than the person they’re gazing at.

Donghyuck arranges himself appropriately; he takes Jeno’s left hand in his right and rests his own left hand on Jeno’s shoulder. As he tucks his forehead into Jeno’s neck, Jeno finds his right hand falling naturally into place on the dip of Donghyuck’s waist. 

Then, they begin to sway slowly, taking small steps to turn them in a circle.

They dance in silence for a while, absorbing the song. But after a while, Donghyuck presses a kiss to Jeno’s neck and speaks up. “Can I ask you something?”

Jeno glances down to look at him. “Anything.”

“When did you start liking me?”

 _Oh._ “It’s difficult to pinpoint.” Jeno starts, thinking hard. He revisits each day of his time here, flicking through the memories and trying to recall the exact moment.

It’s not hard. As a wave crashes down on the sand behind them, it all comes flooding back. “It was when I first heard you sing at the bar, actually. That was when I realised my feelings, at least. But honestly I think I began to like you way before that.”

Donghyuck quirks his eyebrows, silently asking Jeno to continue. 

“Everyone kept telling me that nobody goes to Jeju without wanting to find romance. And God, I was so determined that I wouldn’t. This holiday was for self care, you know? To focus on myself and recuperate a little. I told myself that a kiss would be enough. I didn’t want anything more than that. If I wanted anything, it was just a kiss.”

Donghyuck chuckles, resting his head back on Jeno’s shoulder.

“But then you tapped me on the shoulder when we first met, and I think that’s when it changed. I didn’t want to acknowledge it—I’m far too stubborn for that—but now I think about it, I guess it was inevitable. From the moment I met you I knew that you would be important—something special to me. I didn’t know how, or why, but I felt it and I couldn’t have been more right.”

Donghyuck leans back and takes Jeno’s face in his hands. Jeno’s free hand falls to rest on Donghyuck’s waist, pulling their hips flush against each other. “I’m so glad I kissed you last night.” Donghyuck whispers, before pushing himself up on his tiptoes and connecting their lips.

Jeno’s eyes slide closed and he revels in the feeling of his boyfriend’s lips. They kiss without hurry, taking their time to familiarise themselves with the feeling of each other. Jeno brings one hand up and locks his fingers in Donghyuck’s curls.

Bliss.

He presses a kiss to Donghyuck’s cheek. “I’m just glad we talked about it afterwards.”

Donghyuck hums. “I really really like you, Lee Jeno.”

“I really really like you too, Hyuckie.”

☼

It’s nearing midnight when Jeno decides he wants to call it a day. With Donghyuck’s hand safely captured in his own, they make their rounds, saying goodbye to various people. Jeno’s heart stutters as he sees their friends clustered on the boardwalk by the steps, waiting for him with forlorn faces.

Yukhei is the first to greet him as they step up onto the wooden walkway. He claps their hands together, pulling Jeno in for a bro hug. “It was nice to meet you, man. Safe journey home, yeah? I feel like I’m gonna see you again soon.”

Jeno grins, mirroring Yukhei’s infectious smile. “I think you will too.”

Mark, then Renjun. Both farewells tug on Jeno’s heartstrings, even when Renjun tells him he still hates him. There’s no real bite to his words, though—the facade is ruined when Renjun squeezes him in a tight, affectionate hug.

Jaehyun pats him on the back and shakes his hand firmly, leaving him with promises of surfing again together in the future before disappearing back into the throng of his party. Then, Jeno is faced with the two people he’s almost dreading saying goodbye too.

Johnny and Taeyong stand slightly apart from Donghyuck’s small group of friends. Taeyong is curled tightly into Johnny’s side. Jeno approaches them hesitantly, knowing he has so much to say to them both but also that he just has no idea where to even start.

Taeyong reaches out first, breaking away from his fiance to engulf Jeno in a hug. “I didn’t think I would, but I’m gonna miss you.” Taeyong mumbles. “Keep in touch, okay? I want to hear how you’re doing occasionally.” He demands. “And… keep loving yourself. You’re worth it, Jeno, I promise.” He brushes his fingers over Jeno’s chin, staring into his eyes until Jeno nods in affirmation.

“Thank you, Taeyong. Really. I will.” He squeezes Taeyong’s tiny hand before turning to Johnny.

Johnny’s loose long hair tickles Jeno’s face as he stoops down to wrap Jeno in the biggest bear hug known to man. “Feels like I gained another little brother this week, you know?” Johnny admits. “You’re a rare one, Jeno. I’m really glad you stumbled into our lives. And I’m so glad Hyuckie chose you. Take care in the big city, okay? Seoul isn’t as kind to you—mentally or physically—as Jeju. I don’t want to hear you’re not doing well, alright? Next time you come back you gotta be in tip-top shape.”

Jeno could quite happily sob right now. Johnny takes him in his arms again, resting his chin on the crown of Jeno’s head. It feels safe. “Bye for now, Jeno. I’ll see you soon.”

Johnny ruffles Jeno’s hair as Donghyuck whines and claims his boyfriend for himself with a pout. “Let’s go home, Jeno.”

Jeno takes one last look at the sprawling beach and then takes in his new friends’ faces. “Thanks for being so welcoming to me this week… I feel like you’re all such good friends to me now, and I hope we can stay that way. I’m really grateful.” Jeno looks down at his feet, not sure what to say. He can’t find the words. Regretfully, this shitty farewell will have to do for now. Jeno takes comfort in the fact that it’s not goodbye for good, anyway. “Bye, everyone. I’ll see you soon.”

He waves and blows them all a kiss as he and Donghyuck begin to climb up the steps that’ll lead them to the top of the cliff. When they get there, Jeno peers over the railing, and his heart swells when he sees them all lingering on the boardwalk, waiting for him to disappear completely. When they spot his head poking over the top, they all start waving boisterously. Renjun is jumping and waving like crazy, and Jeno can just about hear Yukhei’s whooping laughter reaching them all the way up here.

Jeno feels a tug on his fingers, and he turns to find Donghyuck staring at him, head tilted to the side. “Come on, baby.” Donghyuck calls, and Jeno goes willingly, leaving his new friends at last and following his boyfriend all the way back to bed.

☼

Jeno’s rudely awoken by the obnoxious sound of his alarm blaring. He fumbles around, eyes shut, slapping his hand around blindly on the bedside table until he locates his phone.

“Turn it off.” Donghyuck groans from where his face is smushed in Jeno’s armpit.

“‘M tryin’.” Jeno mumbles back, squinting one eye open so he can swipe the _off_ button on the screen. “There.” Delicious silence returns, but Jeno’s properly awake now, and there’s no way he’ll be able to delve back to dreamland no matter how hard he wants to be there.

Plus, it’s 9am. That means three hours till the bus that’ll take him to the airport leaves, and he knows he’s going to need all that time to get ready.

Jeno rubs his face harshly with his hand to get rid of the lingering remnants of sleep. “Time to get up, Hyuckie.” He hums, trying reluctantly to push Donghyuck’s arms from around his torso.

If anything, Donghyuck just grips him tighter.

There’s a beat, and then: “Don’t go.” Donghyuck mumbles into Jeno’s skin. “Please. I feel like I’ve only just started to truly learn you.”

Jeno softens, and shifts so he’s lying further down the bed and facing his sleepy boyfriend. “I know, baby, I know.” Jeno says, liking the way Donghyuck’s lips quirk upwards at the pet name. “You know if I could stay for longer then I would, but I have to go back.”

Donghyuck finally opens his eyes. He slides his hand forward and caresses Jeno’s cheek. “Unfortunately,” Donghyuck sighs. “I know you’ve got to go home. I just wish you didn’t have to yet.”

Jeno scoots forward so he can wrap Donghyuck up in a loving—albeit it a little clumsy—embrace. “Me neither.”

“Guess that’s on me for falling for the one person that isn’t gonna stay.” Donghyuck pouts.

Jeno’s grip tightens momentarily. He can sense that there’s something going on in Donghyuck’s head. He’s no stranger to insecurity, so Jeno understands that if there’s something Donghyuck is worried about, they need to get it out in the open while they’re still face to face. “Why do you say that, love? What’s wrong?”

Donghyuck’s body trembles a little. “I’m just. I’m just worried, I guess.”

Jeno presses a kiss to Donghyuck’s dark curls, eyes fixed straight ahead at the lacy curtains fluttering at the window and the sun streaming through. “About what?”

Donghyuck takes a deep breath. “We’ve only been dating for a _day._ What if we can’t do long distance? What if we… what if we don’t make it? I don’t want this to just end up as an insignificant whirlwind summer romance.”

Jeno frowns. He understands Donghyuck’s worry—the same thought had flown through his head a few times, but he’s begun to realise it’s one of those things you just have to not let yourself think about. The more you let the thought grow, the more powerful and destructive it will be.

“I came to Jeju to find myself,” Jeno begins honestly. “And instead, I found you. I’m not gonna let you go that easily.”

Donghyuck wriggles in his arms, delighted. “You make my heart weak, Jeno. It’s going crazy right now, seriously.” He grabs Jeno’s hand and presses it against his chest. Sure enough, Jeno can feel it going haywire in the confines of his ribcage, and he chuckles.

“You’ve just got to have a little faith, Duckie. If we truly like each other this much, we’ll make it work. And besides, Seoul isn’t that far away. It’ll be okay.” Jeno’s tone is soothing and reassuring.

Donghyuck pushes himself up a little so he can meet Jeno’s lips in a searing kiss. It’d be easier if they weren’t lying down, but Donghyuck finds he doesn’t care about practicality. He cares about the way that Jeno kisses him like he’s the most important and precious thing in the world. “I have faith.” Donghyuck mumbles against Jeno’s mouth.

Resting a hand on Jeno’s chest as they break apart, he tries to commit this picture of Jeno in his bed to memory. Jeno’s newly bleached hair a mess and splayed out over the white pillows, his shirt slipping down, his face slightly swollen and cheeks flushed and peachy. Donghyuck wants to remember it forever.

Suddenly, he has an idea. “Can I take your picture?” Donghyuck asks nervously. His camera roll is already dotted with pictures of Jeno, some posing and some secretly taken when he wasn’t looking.

Jeno nods. “Sure.” He says, tongue darting out to lick his lips. Donghyuck reaches for his phone and Jeno rearranges himself a little.

“No,” Donghyuck whines. “Don’t move. You look so pretty already.” He opens the camera and begins to snap photos of the man in his bed. Jeno’s so photogenic it’s unfair; he knows exactly how to gaze at the camera to create a photo that is so innocent and yet so seducing at the same time. Donghyuck’s breath hitches in his throat as he swipes through the small collection of photos he just took.

Jeno looks angelic. Cuddled against the pillows, hair unkempt and lips thoroughly kissed. The stretch of skin revealed by the low collar on his shirt is golden against the white of the duvet and Donghyuck traces it on his screen. He picks his favourite and sets it as his wallpaper. It’s different to the others where Jeno looks a little sinful; instead, he’s captured a split second where Jeno is glancing past the camera at Donghyuck, eyes full of love.

_Is that how he looks at me?_

Donghyuck looks from his phone to the real Jeno, who’s waiting expectantly for Donghyuck to say something. Anything. And he realises that yes, that’s exactly how Jeno looks at him: with a gaze so fiercely loving that it makes him feel shy.

Unable to stop himself, Donghyuck throws his phone to the end of the bed and surges forward to kiss his Jeno again.

☼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have a little faith ♡


	12. twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in Seoul, history repeats itself, but this time there's a little more sunshine and happiness.

Donghyuck walks him to the bus station. The coach is already there and waiting when they get there, and a few people are already loading their suitcases into the hold and getting on. Jeno stops at the entrance to the station and checks his watch.

“Ten minutes.” He realises, and begins to hurry over to the coach, dragging both his suitcase and Donghyuck behind him.

The bus driver turns to Jeno as he approaches, greeting him. “Ticket, please.”

Jeno shows him the ticket on his phone and in return the driver grabs his suitcase and throws it in with the rest of the luggage.

He’s all set to go until he turns back to Donghyuck.

Donghyuck’s lower lip is jutted out and he’s giving Jeno the biggest puppy dog eyes he possibly can. Jeno laughs, pinching his boyfriend’s cheeks and rubbing their noses together. “You’re so cute, Duckie.”

Donghyuck blushes. “I like that.”

Jeno raises his eyebrows. “Hm?”

“Duckie. I like it.”

Jeno takes Donghyuck in his arms and rocks them side-to-side slowly. “I like you.”

Donghyuck snorts and slaps his arm. “Shut up, you fucking cheese.”

Jeno cackles. “Don’t pretend you don’t enjoy it.”

“I mean.” Donghyuck pretends to think about it for a second. “Maybe.”

Just as Jeno goes to press a kiss to the space between Donghyuck’s eyebrows, the bus driver calls over to him.

“Couple minutes till we leave, alright?”

Jeno waves at him and nods, before turning back to Donghyuck and squeezing him gently. “I guess this is it then.”

Donghyuck smiles sadly. “I guess it is.”

They just stare at each other for a second, basking in the moment and the proximity of their bodies.

When Donghyuck notices the pointed look the bus driver is sending them from where he stands by the door, he pats Jeno’s chest and breaks out of his arms. 

“I’ll see you in a couple weeks, okay? I’ll come to the city. And you can come here for Christmas, or New Year, and you can bring Jaemin, or whatever…” Donghyuck trails off, wondering if he’s suddenly saying too much. He doesn’t want to be too intense and scare Jeno off, but he needs to know they’ll see each other again soon for sure.

Jeno grins. “In a couple weeks, huh?”

“Well, yeah.” Donghyuck scratches his head bashfully. “If you want that, of course.”

Jeno bites his lip, loving how cute Donghyuck gets when he’s shy. “I really want that.” He glances back down at his watch. “I promise. I gotta go now, though.”

“I know.” Donghyuck nods. “Text me when you get to the airport, okay? And when you get home.” He grips onto the material of Jeno’s shirt, fiddling with his necklace anxiously. 

“I will.” Jeno covers Donghyuck’s hands with his own and squeezes them tightly. “Kiss me?”

Donghyuck indulges him by leaning forward and pressing his lips to Jeno’s sweetly, before moving to pepper little kisses all over his cheeks. He finishes by connecting their mouths again, lingering there as long as he can, before rocking back on his heels. Jeno’s cheeks are flushed and Donghyuck wants to kiss him forever.

“I’ll see you soon, Jeno.” Donghyuck whispers, pushing him gently towards the coach. Jeno walks backwards and blows kisses to Donghyuck as he goes, all the way until he’s stood by the door to the bus. 

Donghyuck snatches each and every invisible kiss out of the air, laughing and giggling and jumping around joyfully. Jeno could have sworn he’s shining—glittering in the midday sunlight, radiant and truly beautiful. 

“Miss you already, Duckie!” Jeno calls, taking one last look at the boy who embodies the sun. The boy who Jeno is lucky enough to call _his_. Donghyuck’s eyes crinkle in joy as he waves at Jeno and yells the same back to him.

Jeno steps into the coach with a smile and a fond shake of his head. He drops into a window seat just as the coach begins to reverse out of the lot. As they drive past Donghyuck, who still lingers on the pavement with one hand stuffed in his pocket, he blows a kiss up to Jeno.

He presses a hand up against the inside of the window and twists in his seat, looking back at Donghyuck until he’s just a tiny, golden speck in the distance. It’s a disgustingly sappy thought, but despite still being in Jeju, Jeno knows he’s just left his true paradise behind.

When he can no longer see Donghyuck, Jeno throws himself back into the seat with a bittersweet sigh. He pulls his headphones out of his pocket, unwinds them, and puts on the playlist that Johnny had told him to check out a couple of days ago.

With the gentle opening of Lauv’s _I Like Me Better_ trickling into his ears Jeno sits back, closes his eyes, and tries to enjoy the rest of the journey home.

☼

It’s not until the following Thursday, four days later, that Jaemin finds the time to break into Jeno’s apartment again. There’s a smug grin on his face as he unlocks the door with the spare key Jeno doesn’t know he has, and he thunders down the hallway and into the living room, ready to jump on his best friend.

They haven’t seen each other since Jeno got back. Jaemin feels like he’s about to burst in anticipation of hearing about the trip.

Jeno is sprawled on the sofa, a steaming bowl of something that smells incredible balanced on his knees and his laptop open on the coffee table in front of him.

Jaemin skids to a halt as he clocks his best friend. “You’re blond?!” He shrieks, eyes blinking rapidly in disbelief.

Jeno looks up, unsurprised to see Jaemin stood there. The look on Jaemin’s face is hysterical though, and laughter erupts from both Jeno and the computer on the table.

“Nice to see you too, Jaemin.” Jeno replies, amused. He leans forward and puts his bowl down on the table, inviting Jaemin to sit down.

Jaemin does so with his mouth still hung open incredulously. “What… what happened in Jeju, man?” He runs a hand through his hair, leaning back in the seat, looking slightly shell-shocked.

“I happened.” A smug voice emanates from the laptop speaker. Jeno turns the computer so that Jaemin can see the screen as well.

Slightly pixelated, but there clearly enough, is Lee Donghyuck. 

“Long time no see, Jaemin.” Donghyuck grins.

Jaemin shuffles forward, leaning closer to the screen with an awestruck crease in his eyebrows. “Donghyuck?”

Donghyuck gestures to himself with a shrug. “The very same.”

“Well shit.” Jaemin sits back in the seat, resigned. “What were you guys up to before I got here then?”

Jeno reaches for the still steaming bowl of bibimbap on the table excitedly and offers it to Jaemin. “We cooked together!” He announces, and Donghyuck snorts. “Well. Duckie told me what to do and I tried my best not to fuck it up.” 

Jaemin hums appreciatively at the food. By Jeno’s normally shit standard of cooking, it’s pretty damn tasty. But… “Duckie?” Jaemin raises an eyebrow. “That’s awfully domestic of you both.”

Jeno and Donghyuck share a look. It’s time to drop the metaphorical bombshell. “Yeah, we’re uh. We’re dating, actually.”

It wasn’t really a conscious decision to not tell Jaemin straight away that they’re dating. Jeno had actually talked it over with Donghyuck on one of their first video calls after he got home—he wanted to give it a few days until they had really begun to figure out this whole long distance business. He didn’t see the point in telling Jaemin if they realised soon enough that their relationship wouldn’t survive the distance.

Jaemin almost spits out his mouthful. “You’re what?”

“We’re dating—” Jeno starts, bewildered, but Jaemin interrupts him, spluttering.

“No, no, that’s not the point.” Jaemin points at him almost accusingly. “You’re dating him and you didn’t tell me? You didn’t tell me, your BEST friend? Unbelievable.”

Jeno snorts. “Don’t be dramatic.”

Jaemin moves from the armchair and throws himself down on the sofa next to Jeno. He pummells Jeno on the bicep enthusiastically and screeches wildly. “Jeno, this is cause for dramatics! You finally got yourself a man! We should throw a party.”

Jeno sighs and Donghyuck sniggers. 

“How did it happen?” Jaemin asks, eyes wide and curious. “Tell me everything.”

Jeno smiles shyly, tucking his chin against his chest. He glances over at Donghyuck’s image on the screen. Donghyuck mirrors his expression, nodding encouragingly.

And so Jeno does. He recounts all of his holiday to Jaemin, from seeing Donghyuck for the first time to learning how to surf. The lake, the museum, and the party. Of course, he leaves some details out. Things like sharing a bed, the kiss by the bonfire, the moment when he realised he wanted Donghyuck for more than just a fleeting moment together. Those are things he selfishly wants to keep for himself and Donghyuck alone.

Jaemin coos at appropriate points in Jeno’s story, and when Jeno finishes, there are stars in his eyes. “You guys are so cute, oh my God. I can’t believe you grew balls in Jeju, Jeno!”

“Well.” Jeno hears Donghyuck laugh quietly. He still thinks it’s a lovely sound. “A wise man told me that if _you know that someone is right for you, then you know. You can’t let that slip through your fingers._ And he was right.”

Donghyuck snorts. “I won’t tell Johnny you called him a wise man and then quoted him like he’s some kind of Asian Jesus. It’ll totally go to his head.”

Jeno hunches over in laughter. “God, yeah, probably.”

Jaemin crosses his legs and rests his chin on his palm. It’s weird—Jeno’s never seen such unadulterated adoration on his face before, but it’s there now, and it’s directed all at Jeno and Donghyuck.

“I knew Jeju would be good for you. Look at you being all in love! It’s disgusting.” He giggles. And then, in a more serious tone: “God, you look so much healthier and happier, Jeno.” He pats Jeno on the cheek a little too roughly. Jeno’s nose scrunches and he bats at Jaemin’s hand, but inside he’s happy. 

Jaemin _noticed._

“He’s right.” Donghyuck hums, adding his two cents to their conversation. Through the pixels he’s leaning back in his chair, arms folded across his chest.

Jaemin points at the screen in agreement and sends Jeno a pointed look. “See? I’m right.”

As much as he hates to admit it, Jeno knows he is. Seven days in paradise was enough to turn his life completely upside down in more ways than one. Just a glance at the boy on the computer screen is enough to show that good things are coming.

Even though tomorrow he’ll wake up and have to tackle another long, tiring day at the office, he feels lighter knowing that Donghyuck will be there on the end of the phone to ease that bone deep tension that will eventually begin to reclaim his entire body.

“I really thought I was going to regret it, you know?” Jeno runs his teeth over his bottom lip thoughtfully. Jaemin raises an eyebrow; it’s almost smug. Jeno knows he’ll never hear the end of this. “Like I really thought I was gonna go just to shut you up, have just about an alright time, then come back and carry on with my life. But I couldn’t have been more wrong, Jaem. It was completely the opposite of what I expected.”

Unable to help himself, Jeno turns back to the video call and Donghyuck beams at him. _There._ There’s his little slice of paradise. In his apartment way out in Seoul, the Jeju sun still manages to shine on.

Jaemin giggles and scoots sideways so he can engulf Jeno in a hug. “I always knew you wouldn’t, Jeno. I knew you wouldn’t regret it at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think that after this jeno revisits his astronaut dream with Hyuck's encouragement and gets to go to space one day :)
> 
> if you got this far, thank you for reading! it means the world to me that I could share this fic with you all and have you join me on this wild ride. I'm immensely proud of finishing this and so if you enjoyed it, please leave kudos and a comment to let me know! they honestly make my day :}


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